Still Learning
by Andi88
Summary: Emma is trying to learn how to control her newfound magic, as well as connect with her newfound family. When a seemingly simple use of magic lands her in a tricky situation, she finds help in the most surprising of places! Rated for Emma's colorful language. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey folks! Again I say, I haven't abandoned anything else, but my brain only writes what it wants to write. I am merely its humble servant. That said, I give you this! This idea has probably been done before, but I haven't seen it, and it's been rattling around in my head for a few weeks now. This is just a little Emma/Snow bonding, (my favorite!) with a magical twist. It's not exactly AU, but doesn't keep to any specific cannon, it just takes place sometime after Emma and Snow's return from the Enchanted Forest. Also I'd like to note that this story is finished, and about 7 chapters. I just have to edit them as I go! As always, feel free to point out mistakes, spelling, grammar or otherwise, and let me know what you think! The better the response, the faster the chapters go up! Did that sound like bribery? Haha, oops. ;)**

**Chapter 1**

"Concentrate, Emma," Rumpelstiltskin warned, his patience waning…if he ever had any to begin with.

"I _am _concentrating," Emma said, her voice taking on an unattractive whining quality.

She and Rumpelstiltskin had been meeting twice a week for the past month to try and help Emma get a handle on her unpredictable magical abilities. Emma would leave in the evenings to go to his shop, sarcastically telling her family that she was "off to Hogwarts!" But she only wished she were in Hogwarts, because Mr. Gold was, unsurprisingly, an impossible teacher.

"If you were concentrating, the candle would have been lit by now. You've done it time and time again."

"Exactly!" Emma opened her eyes and lowered the candle in her hand. "I've done it before, why can't I just try something else now? This is so damned boring!"

Rumpelstiltskin growled. Literally growled, and stood up from his stool to walk to the other end of the shop, his limp more pronounced in his frustration. "We are not here to entertain you, Miss Swan," his voice was low and dangerous, a tone that scared the pants off most people in town. Most people except for Emma, who saw him as nothing more than a grumpy, untrustworthy imp, and Belle of course who, for reasons Emma couldn't quite grasp, loved said imp.

It also helped that Belle adored Emma, almost idolized her in a way, and anyone who Belle cared about was completely safe from the wizard's wrath.

"In order to control your abilities," he continued. "You must be able to concentrate and keep a clear mind. Power as strong as yours is dangerous, as you well know."

Emma winced, remembering the damage done last time she became very angry.

"So next time, when you feel your power build, you can school it, suppress it if necessary, or use it when needed," he was becoming more animated as he spoke, theatrical almost.

"Okay, okay," Emma groaned. "I get it. I just got a lot on my mind today, alright?"

Just then, the bell on Gold's door tinkled, and in walked a Belle of another sort. From the corner of her eye, Emma watched Rumpelstiltskin's face soften as a loving smile broke out across it at the sight of the young woman. For the hundredth time she marveled at the change Belle made in this man just by being in a room. He looked younger, more human. Almost handsome in a weird way, though Emma would die before ever admitting that out loud.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Belle said brightly. "I didn't realize you were still having your lesson, I'll come back…"

"No, don't go," Rumpelstiltskin said at the same time Emma said, "Save me!"

"I think my student here is done for the day, anyway," he continued with a scowl, saying "student" as if the fact were debatable.

"Is he giving you a hard time again?" Belle asked Emma. "Rumpel, you promised you would try and not be so short with her."

Emma smirked at Gold while his scowl deepened, knowing he hated when Belle scolded him in front of other people. "I wasn't being that great of a pupil today," she said, throwing him a bone. "I'll practice."

Rumpelstiltskin moved to put away the candles and other items they'd been using in that day's lesson. "I'd rather you didn't. You shouldn't attempt any magic without me around."

Emma frowned. "Why not? I'm not going to blow up the town lighting a candle. What, you just want to keep tabs on exactly how far I progress?" she actually wondered that exact thing on more than one occasion, but since he was the only one in town who knew about magic and wasn't Regina or a fairy, (okay, one thing they had in common…neither of them could quite tolerate fairies, but for different reasons.) she had no choice but to let him teach her. Even Mary Margaret and David agreed, even though they had their reservations, and justifiably so.

"I just don't think you quite realize what you're capable of," he said simply.

Emma nodded, seeing straight through his carefully structured mask, and made to leave. "See ya on Monday, Rumpel."

"Emma, wait!" Belle called catching up with her just outside the door. Once the door was firmly closed behind her, she spoke again. "I uh, just wanted to thank you for the advice you gave me before."

Emma smiled. Though in the beginning she fought tooth and nail against liking this girl who loved a man so much who had done so many awful things in the past, Belle had effectively wormed her way past Emma's wall. In many ways, she reminded Emma of Mary Margaret before the curse broke. Sweet, naïve, innocent, and Emma once again felt the big-sisterly desire to protect a young woman from the big bad world, just as she had with Mary Margaret. In hadn't escaped her that maybe Belle was sort of replacing her roommate, since she was now her mother, and a woman who needed no protection whatsoever.

"No problem, Belle. Did it help?"

Belle grinned wickedly, causing Emma to nearly double over laughing at the uncharacteristic expression. It had happened while they were having a few drinks with Ruby and Mary Margaret, and Belle let it slip that she had been growing increasingly frustrated with Rumpel keeping her at arm's length whenever she wanted to do anything more physical than a chaste kiss. The poor thing was mortified when Mary Margaret and Ruby loudly, (and rather drunkenly) expressed no desire whatsoever to discuss her and Mr. Gold's sex life. Though not too crazy about the imagery herself, Emma had later taken her aside and talked to her about it, giving her advice on how to get him to open up, claiming that she was an expert on walls.

Though her friends all had come to accept, in varying degrees, her relationship with the feared Mr. Gold, the fact that Emma was willing to lend an ear and allow her to open up about it made Belle latch on to Emma.

"I'm glad," Emma said, still chuckling. "Maybe it'll put him in a better mood and he won't terrorize quite so many people."

Belle was well used to Emma's sense of humor and took no offence. "We can only hope! Have a nice evening, Emma!"

"You too," Emma called back in a teasing, sing-song voice, and Belle shot another suggestive grin over her shoulder.

By the time she got home, Emma was drained both from a day at the station and lessons with Rumpel. Magic was exhausting in a way she never would have expected, and it usually made her cranky.

"Hey," Mary Margaret/Snow/Mother chirped when Emma came in the door. Emma often struggled with what to call the woman, and usually flip-flopped between Mary Margaret and Snow, much like David/Charming/Father did.

"How was your lesson?" David asked. His name was easier. She just stuck with David.

"I got sent to the principal's office for not playing nice with the other kids," Emma drawled.

David chuckled. "Do I need to have a parent-Gold conference?"

Emma rolled her eyes and Mary Margaret batted him with a dishrag.

"Now that's something I'd like to see," Mary Margaret laughed, before turning to Emma. "I saved you some dinner…"

"Oh, thanks," Emma mumbled. "I'm not really all that hungry though."

Mary Margaret gave her that no-nonsense, do-as-your-told motherly look that sometimes amused, sometimes bugged the hell out of Emma. Tonight she was tired, and tonight it bugged her. "You should eat something," Mary Margaret said gently.

Knowing the woman would just sweetly nag her until she did, Emma warmed up her plate and ate, trying not to show how hungry she turned out to be once she took the first bite.

"Where's Henry?" Emma asked.

"In bed," David replied. "We made sure he finished his homework, took a bath and everything. He asked us to tell you to go tell him goodnight when you get home."

Emma chuckled and nodded, rising to head to the room upstairs which had been divided by curtains to give her and her son individual spaces. They were really going to need to get a bigger place soon.

"We were going to watch a movie," Mary Margaret said. "Would you like to join us?"

"Nah, I'm beat," Emma said. "I'm gonna turn in."

"Emma, why don't you take tomorrow off?" David asked. "It's been dead lately, I can handle the station."

Emma felt like arguing, but was too tired to. "Uh, thanks, David. I think I'll take you up on that."

Mary Margaret smiled, looking a little excited. "Oh, well, I'll be around tomorrow, too…you know, I don't have a lot to do…"

Emma gave a non-committal nod and made her way upstairs.

She groaned when she reached her room, flopping down on her bed after kissing Henry goodnight as he slept. She felt bad for not reacting to Mary Margaret's obvious hint at wanting to do something together the next day. It wasn't that she didn't _like _spending time with her, she just missed the days when it was easier, when they were just friends and Emma was finally, _finally _learning to open up to someone. Now her friend was her mom, a very anxious, somewhat overbearing mom.

Emma and her mother had grown close in the Enchanted Forest, under the constant threat of danger. But now that they were home, and there wasn't much going on, Mary Margaret had reverted back to trying too hard to get Emma to talk to her and spend time with her. Emma kicked herself constantly for not trying hard _enough_ to let her walls down for her mother, knowing that every little rebuff hurt her terribly.

She wanted to be more comfortable. She wanted her mother to hug her, and kiss her cheek, and stroke her hair without tensing up in response.

"I'll try harder," she mumbled to herself, face down against the pillow. "Tomorrow. I'll try harder tomorrow."

She rolled over to get more comfortable, but realized she'd forgotten to turn off her light. It was too annoying to ignore, but she was so comfortable, she didn't want to get up.

She glared at the light switch on the wall, willing it to flip down.

In the back of her mind, she heard Gold's voice telling her not to try magic when he wasn't around. But dammit, if she couldn't use it for practical reasons, what good was it?!

She continued to stare at the switch, pulling all her concentration like he kept nagging her to, and focused it on flipping the switch down. She was exhausting herself further trying, but now it was personal. _Damn light, turn OFF!_

Finally the light turned off, and all she had time for before sleep overcame her was a tiny smirk of victory.

Emma groaned and struggled to open her eyes. She was on her back on the hard ground, and the sun beating on her face made it clear that she was outside, but she had been inside just a second ago.

Suddenly her eyes flew open in panic, thinking that something must have happened, that she snapped somehow and her magic had blown apart the apartment. She sat up and surveyed her surroundings, but found herself deep in the woods, not among a demolished building.

"I just teleported," she mumbled in relief, but the thought of teleporting alone was worrisome and…well, crazy.

Her relief was short lived when, as she shakily stood up, she heard the caw of a bird she'd only heard during one time in her life, because it was a bird that only existed in one place.

The Enchanted Forest.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the awesome feedback, guys! Shout out to snoopykid for the good guess. You get a cookie. :) Four more days till hiatus hell is over!**

_The Enchanted Forest._

A sickening dread coiled in Emma's stomach and she feared she might vomit. Could she really be back there? _Alone_?

_No, this isn't happening. Please tell me this isn't happening._

In a flash of cliche, Emma grabbed her left arm and pinched. _Hard_.

_Ow. Okay, I guess I'm not dreaming. Wonderful._

"Hello?" she called, immediately cursing her stupidity, knowing the consequences of making noise when you don't know if an ogre is around or not. She froze and held her breath, but heard no roar or earth-shattering stomps.

The forest was quiet, no sign of anything coming to kill and/or eat her.

With little else to do, she started walking, hoping against hope that she had been hearing things with the bird, that she was just in the woods in Storybrooke. With every step though the truth became more and more clear. She had never really realized before that Fairytale Land had a completely different _feel_ than her world. It was barely discernible, and she would have had a difficult time explaining it, but it was as if the air here was charged, like walking around in an electrical storm all the time. And it smelled different, fresher, like that ozone smell that comes right before the rain.

There was no doubt in her mind, she had somehow been sent back. Only this time she didn't have her mother with her. She felt like crying. Or breaking a toaster.

She walked for almost an hour as the sun rose higher in the sky, with no clue as to where she was even going. She didn't have her mother's natural sense of direction, and there was no path, no possible way for her to figure out where to go. She tried, though, to recall lessons learned from Mary Margaret and Mulan and kept the sun at her back, so at least she wasn't walking around in circles. She was ever alert, straining her ears to listen for danger, but what would she do if she came across an ogre now? She had no bow, no sword. She didn't even have her damn gun.

Finally she came upon a dirt road, but still there was no sign of life other than the birds and various other creatures that inhabited the forest. The hard-packed soil didn't even look like it was often traveled upon.

She eeny-meeny-miney-mo'ed and picked a direction, muttering constant curses and wishing for a bottle of Jack Daniel's.

The carriage seemed to come out of nowhere, with barely a sound of warning, turning a bend and coming straight for Emma. It was driven by a man in black, and the carriage itself was red and black and almost comically ominous. Despite the relief of seeing other people at last, Emma almost hid, but realized she'd probably already been spotted, and maybe if she just kept her head down, they'd either pay her no mind, or would (hopefully) offer to help. With the obvious exceptions of Cora and Hook, who at this point weren't even in the Enchanted Forest, Emma's experience with people here had been mostly good, so maybe these people were okay. Maybe they could help her find Mulan and Aurora. Maybe they had some burgers and fries on them.

"You there, halt!" snapped a man who walked alongside the carriage, also wearing black. "What business do you have on the Queen's Road?"

"…Huh?" what was this douche talking about? And what was up with his stupid helmet? "Queen's Road?"

The man approached her quickly, and she tensed, ready to fight, but looking warily at the sword belted to his side. "You will move off the road, this instant!" he barked.

"Look, I don't want any trouble," she said, raising her hands. "Do you know Mulan? Or Aurora? I'm their friend…if you just…"

"Silence!" he yelled, just as the door to the carriage opened.

"Is there a problem, Bernard?"

Emma's blood ran cold. She knew that voice. Smooth, low, full of spite and condescension while sounding sickeningly sweet.

She took a step back from the man in black so she could see behind him, to see the woman emerge from the carriage, dressed in an ostentatious, low cut black gown, her hair piled high on her head with a crown perched on her brow.

"Regina?!" Emma exclaimed, barely believing her own eyes.

She expected Regina's eyes to flair in recognition. Either with anger that she had somehow found her where she didn't want to be found, or with sick glee that she had fallen into some trap. All Emma found in those eyes, though, was ice and conceit.

And no recognition.

"You are to address her as Your Majesty!" the guard snapped. "Kneel before your Queen!"

"Hell to the no!" Emma shot back, not even looking at him. "Bitch, I don't know what the hell you've done this time, but I can tell you right now, you are NOT getting away with it!"

Regina didn't even flinch at the words, or even the refusal to bow, she simply stared at Emma like she was a bug she'd never seen before. Interesting, but still a bug.

The guard grabbed Emma by the hair and forced her to her knees. "You shall pay for your insolence!" he pulled his sword and held it to her neck. "Your Majesty, shall I dispatch her?"

Emma strained to call upon her magic, but found that she simply couldn't. It was there, but she couldn't grasp it, couldn't concentrate hard enough to reach it.

_Dammit_. She thought. _Rumpel was right about the concentration thing_.

Regina approached her slowly, calmly. "What is your name?" she asked.

Emma didn't answer, just struggled against her captor, and glared into the Evil Queen's eyes.

"My Queen," the guard said, sounding impatient. "May I kill her now?"

Regina's eyes snapped to him, and filled in an instant with fury. "You will wait and do as I tell you, unless _you_ would like to be the one at the end of a sword!"

The guard cowered, but didn't loosen his hold on Emma's hair.

Regina looked back to Emma, calculating. "You look familiar. Have we met?"

"No shit, Sherlock," Emma seethed. "I don't know what game you're playing at here, but give it up, okay? I thought we were over this! Why are we here? We need to get back to Henry!"

With a flick of her wrist, Regina sent the guard sailing and wrapped an invisible rope around Emma's neck, tightening it with a squeeze. "Who are you?" she demanded. "How do you know my father?"

"What the _hell_ are you talking about?" Emma gasped, grabbing at her throat. She could tell Regina wasn't faking, but her mind just couldn't wrap around it.

The pressure around her neck vanished, and Regina straightened, smoothing out her ridiculous dress. "Bernard, tie her up. We shall bring her back to the palace."

Bernard made a grab for her, but she shoved him, and made a break for the trees. Before she could get very far, a purple field of magic caught her up, and she floated back toward the carriage.

Then an arrow whistled through the air, striking the carriage right next to Regina's head.

"Regina!"

The force holding Emma stopped, and she dropped several feet to the ground. She looked up the hill to where the voice had come from, and even though she could barely see her, hidden in the leaves, she knew that voice anywhere.

_Mary Margaret._

"Get her!" Regina shrieked, and aimed a fireball at Mary Margaret, who nocked another arrow.

Emma screamed, panic filling her at the sight of the fireball headed straight for her mother, who was't running away, and held out her hand, calling the flame to her like she done with the candle. Once she had it swirling around her own hand, she lunged, whipping her arm and throwing the fiery orb, baseball-style, back to its maker.

Regina gasped and deflected the blast, and Emma shot both of her arms out, feeling the magic tearing out of her. Regina blew backward, against her carriage while the driver just stared in shock.

Emma was in a similar state, breathing heavily with her arms still extended, amazed and terrified of what she'd just done.

A hand gripped her arm, and she jumped, but turned to find a pair of familiar, and oh so welcome eyes looking back at her. "Come on!" Mary Margaret exclaimed, pulling her toward the wood.

Emma took off after her mother, and they tore through the trees. Mary Margaret had apparently already dispatched of Bernard and the other guard, and with Regina out cold and the driver frozen in fear, they escaped into the forest without pursuit.

Emma struggled to keep up with Mary Margaret as she weaved expertly around brush and vines. As the crackle of magic faded, and her mind began to clear, she slowly became aware of a few disturbing facts.

For one thing, Mary Margaret's hair was trailing behind her in long, tangled lengths. She was dressed in leather and fur with a billowing cloak. And was it mentioned that her hair was _long_?

After what seemed like forever, Emma was forced to slow down and finally stop. For a frightening moment, she though her mother was just going to keep on running, but she stopped as well, barely even winded.

_Not happening. Not happening. Not happening. Not happening._

Emma stared at her mother, who was standing with her hands on her hips and looking like she was listening intently for signs of danger. _What the hell happened?_

"M...Mary Mar…S…Snow?" Emma stammered. Now that she was facing her again, Emma realized that this woman in front of her was _definitely_ not her mother.

She seemed…younger, and her eyes flashed with distrust and coldness she'd never seen in either Mary Margaret or Snow White. "Who are you?" she demanded, only slightly less harshly than Regina had.

"E…Emma…" she breathed, absurdly focused on the other woman's cascading raven hair.

"Only my friends call me Snow," she said, in a rather haughty manner, and Emma was blown away by the brusqueness in her voice. Emma hadn't even known that Snow could _make_ her voice sound like that. "Others call me Snow White. Or Your Highness. You are not my friend, yet you are clearly an enemy of the Queen. So tell me, who are you?"

"I…uh…" Emma was clueless as to what to say. 'Hi, I'm your kid?' probably wouldn't go over so well. "I'm…Emma. Emma Swan. I don't really know what else to say…your uh…Highness?"

Snow seemed slightly placated by the title. Here was a woman, really no more than a girl, Emma realized in amazement, standing here in filthy rags and unkempt hair, and yet she looked more royal than Regina could ever hope to.

"You have magic," it wasn't really a question. "Are you a fairy, or some kind of sorceress?"

"Definitely no fairy," Emma said with a scoff. "I'm neither, really. Magic…just kinda, I dunno, comes to me naturally. I can't control it very well."

Snow seemed to accept this easily enough. "Where did you come from?" she looked Emma up and down, indicating her tight jeans and leather jacket. However unlike the mild disgust she had received from Mulan, and the scandalized puzzlement from Aurora, Snow seemed intrigued and maybe even impressed by the blonde's wardrobe.

Emma decided to try and be as honest as possible with Snow, save for a few small details that may freak out the other woman. Whatever on earth was happening, she definitely wanted Snow on her side no matter what.

"I…I was transported here…by a portal I think I may have made accidentally. I'm not totally sure. I'm from another land."

Again, Snow took this information in stride, but with more interest. "I've heard of portal jumpers, but I've never met one before. And let me guess, you don't know how to get back?"

Emma shrugged with a guilty smile.

"And you know Regina?"

"Oh, I know Regina. I know what a bitch she is."

Snow grinned, but it wasn't the soft, loving smile that Emma was accustomed to. It was sly and mischievous. "A bitch is a good word for her, except it may give dogs a bad name!" she straightened her back. "She is my step-mother, and she murdered my father and stole my crown. Now's she's banished me…put a price on my head!

"Damn," Emma muttered, trying to hold in her panicked astonishment. She wasn't just in the Enchanted Forest, she was actually in the Enchanted Forest that _was_. Emma guessed that this was during a time before the poisoned apple…possibly even before her father!

"Look," Emma said, "I know you have your own problems…but I…I don't know these woods, and I'm not very good at surviving out here…you know…_alone_," it killed her to admit it, especially to Snow _freaking_ White, but it was the truth, and she desperately wanted to stay with her mother. Even if this wasn't _really _her mother.

All at once, Snow's bravado faded, leaving behind the sweet-natured woman with a kind smile that Emma knew so well. There was still a hardness to her that Emma wasn't used to though, a strain behind those emerald eyes. "Well, anyone who can pommel Regina like that is a friend to me. You could come along with me, if you like. I warn you though, I am something of a fugitive."

Emma smiled. "I know all about life on the run, and thank you."

Snow nodded, putting her braggadocio back on. "You'll have to keep up; we need to make it to the river by nightfall. I have a hideout there."

Emma promised that she'd try her best, and fell into step with the lofty young woman. She could see past the mask, though, being an expert on them, and saw an impossibly young version of her mother, scared, alone, and desperate for a friend enough that she'd trust a virtual stranger.

They walked on through the afternoon, Snow keeping up an almost constant chatter. At one time in her life, it would have annoyed Emma. And okay, so it kind of did annoy Emma, but at the same time she found it endearing, and so…_Snow_.

"Tell me about your world, Emma," Snow said, hopping gracefully over a log.

Emma stumbled clumsily over the same log. "It's a hell of lot different than this one. Honestly it's kinda hard to explain to someone who's never been there…" at Snow's disappointed face, she trudged on. "It's a land without magic…or at least it _used _to be. Ru…well, someone brought magic there, and now everything's going crazy," should she tell Snow that she was from the…future basically? She was just so confused as to how to handle any of this, so she opted to keep things vague.

"A land without magic," Snow said, her voice breathy. "Sounds nice if you ask me. If maybe a little boring."

Emma snorted. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"I bet your family is worried."

Emma looked over at the girl, struck by the sadness in her voice. She tried recalling Henry's book, trying to figure out just exactly where in her mother's life she'd unceremoniously landed. One thing she knew for sure was that this Snow was very alone. Emma knew the feeling well.

"Yeah," she said. "My parents are probably flipping their lid…" she hesitated, but found herself continuing almost against her own will. "Especially my mom."

Snow looked at her sadly. "No one should have to be separated from their parents, not ever."

Emma felt tears stinging the back of her eyes, but fought them back resolutely. "No…they shouldn't. I only was just reunited with them. We were separated when I was a baby…I have to get back to them. Back to Henry."

Snow turned, curious. "I heard you mention Henry to Regina. What does her father have to do with anything?" she sounded suspicious, and moved away slightly.

"No, no, Henry is the name of my _son_. He's eleven. I just recently found _him_ too."

Snow softened immediately. "Oh, you have son! The poor thing, he must be missing you terribly!"

Emma nodded. "I uh, I'm sorry about your dad."

"He was a wonderful man. He didn't deserve what that…_bitch_ did to him," Emma hid a smirk as the curse word stumbled unfamiliarly from the girl's mouth. "All he ever did was love her, and want her to be my mother. All _I _wanted was for her to be my mother. I knew she never really loved me, only pretended to, but I never thought she'd go _this _far."

_Aw, man, it's just the beginning,_ Emma thought sadly. She tried to think of something to say to comfort her…but she wasn't the best at the comfort thing. That was her mother's department.

"Regina…she just…she's just blinded by hate. I know she had a real monster for a mother…not that that excuses anything of course. I'm just saying…it isn't your fault."

Snow gave her an appreciative glance. "Thanks. Come on, we're almost to my hideout."

The hideout was a shallow cave in the base of the mountain. Before entering it, Emma couldn't even see it. Snow beamed in pride when Emma commented on how well it was hidden.

At the sight of the inside, Emma's heart absolutely broke. Various trinkets, pinecones, and feathers were hung upon the jagged walls and animal furs piled in the corner to serve as a bed, all in a sad effort to make the small space look more like a home and less like a hole.

"I know it's not much," Snow said with a shrug. "But I have to keep moving. Red says if I stay put too long, they have more time to track me down."

"Red?" Emma had assumed she must not have met Red yet, if she was alone.

"Oh, Red is my friend," she said happily. "I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't met her. She taught me everything. But…" she bit her lower lip as if to keep it from trembling. "She has problems of her own, and we realized it wasn't safe for us to be together, so she brings me supplies sometimes, but other than that I'm on my own."

"Sounds really lonely."

She shrugged again, all false bravado again. "I don't mind so much. Living in a palace your whole life, it can get kind of suffocating, so being out here…it's not so bad. Red says I have to be careful who I can trust and not to talk to strangers…" she dragged out the last syllable, looking at Emma with the realization that she had broken rules.

Emma chuckled. "Well, it's a little late now, isn't it? Besides, you have good instincts, I think you know that I can be trusted."

"I hope so," she said earnestly. "How can anyone who talks to the Queen like that with absolutely no fear be an enemy anyway? I think Red would like you."

Snow shared a supper of dried beef and fruit, explaining that they would go fishing in the morning.

"Never been fishing…" Emma said with a grimace.

"Guess you'll learn," Snow shot back as she shook out the furs. "I don't have many of these, and the ground is impossible to sleep on. Does it bother you to share?"

Emma shook her head no and shed her jacket before curling up under the furs next to Snow.

They lain on their sides, facing one another, and it didn't escape Emma that they had unconsciously mirrored each other's positions, with one hand under their cheeks.

"How will you get home?" Snow asked.

Emma shrugged. "I'm not sure. I don't totally know how I got here to start with, only that I'm pretty sure that I did it. I'm just learning this crazy magic thing, you know?"

"Perhaps when Red returns, we can ask her if she knows anyone who can help. A portal jumper, maybe."

Emma nodded, thinking immediately of Jefferson, and wondering where _he _was at this point in time. "What about you? What will you do?" Emma knew, of course, what was going to happen, but this girl didn't, and she felt that familiar urge to take care of her.

Snow shrugged. "I'm still figuring it out. I know I _won't _let Regina get away with what she's done. She'll pay."

There was that harshness in her eyes again that startled Emma. Even though her mother had even more reasons to hate the woman, she'd never seen that particular look in her eyes before. But Emma could see it for what it was, fear, hurt, and so much betrayal.

"How old are you?" Emma was dying to know.

"Nineteen," Snow said with a bit of a huff, as if daring the other woman to call her a child.

Emma didn't dare, of course, but she felt like crying. Snow wasn't much older than she had been when her life came to a screeching halt and everything turned upside down. She could see now that the reason she understood the steel in Snow's eyes so well was because it had been in hers back then, and too often.

Though going completely against what came natural to her, Emma timidly reached out and grasped the younger woman's hand, squeezing it gently.

Snow's cold façade faded once more, and her face crumbled, though she didn't cry. Emma had never really _hated _Regina. Hated what she had done, yes, but after meeting her horrible mother and knowing the life she had, she could never quite bring herself to hate her.

At that moment, however, she was holding the hand of a young_ girl_ who had lost everything. Snow didn't have the capacity for walls that Emma did, her eyes betrayed so much. In them she saw a girl who had no family, who was desperately lonely and starved for affection. In them she saw herself. And knowing that they were both that way because of Regina? Maybe she could hate her after all.


	3. Chapter 3

**All the awesome reviews, favs, and follows make for one happy me. :D So thanks! Not a whole lot of substance in this chapter, just a lot of fluff and antics. But I've decided to expand this story some than what I already have since I've had some new ideas, so expect good things!**

**A reviewer kindly pointed out that, in going with the show's timeline as they give it, Snow should be older at this point in time than 19. I agree. Even though we don't know how old she was supposed to be, only that she was 28 by the time the curse hit, it probably wasn't 10 years between her banishment and the curse. I'm taking creative license with this though, because I thought being around the same age as Emma when her life went bananas would make her relate to the young Snow. Long story short, I wanted Snow to be a teenager, so I made her a teenager, which is what makes fanfiction awesome. :) I just wanted you guys to know that it is quite on purpose! Please continue to let me know what you think!**

* * *

Emma groaned as someone shook her shoulder.

"Wake up, Sleepy Head!" her mother droned.

"Ugh, you say that every morning," she moaned, trying to turn away.

"Every morning?" Snow giggled. "I don't think so."

Emma's eyes flew open, and she remembered where she was, and that the giggling Snow White beside her was _not_ her mother.

But before she could move or respond, the air was knocked out of her by the slim teenager gracelessly falling on top of her like a giant cat.

"Ow! Get offa me!" she rolled, trying to dislodge the hysterically cackling Snow.

"You should have gotten up when I told you to!"

Narrowing her eyes playfully, Emma reached up and pinched Snow's side, knowing the other was insanely ticklish.

Snow squealed and leapt up. "No fair!"

"That's what you get for waking me up," Emma smirked.

Snow tried to stick her tongue out, but couldn't stop laughing long enough to. "Oh come on, we need to get some fish if we want breakfast."

Emma's stomach rumbled in agreement, and she grabbed her jacket to follow Snow outside.

"How the hell do we fish with no fishing poles anyway, Bear Grylls?"

Snow furrowed her brow at the reference, but didn't comment. "With a net, silly. It will be easier with two. If you hold one end, and I the other, we can scoop up the fish.

"We actually have to get _in_ the water?! It's freezing!"

Snow huffed impatiently. "There aren't a whole lot of furry animals about right now, they're all in hiding for the winter. It's fish or starve, Emma!"

Emma bristled at the lecturing tone, but stopped arguing. They stripped down to their undergarments, Snow in a torn chemise that looked like it belonged under a ball gown, not leather pants and a man's shirt, and Emma in her regular black bra and panties.

From the corner of her eye, Emma saw the girl staring at her underwear with obvious fascination. Snow blushed when she realized she was caught. "Sorry, I've just never seen clothes like yours before."

"No worries," Emma said with a slightly self-conscious shrug. "So, what do we do again?"

Snow handed her one end of the net and Emma hissed and griped and cursed as she waded into the icy water.

"Will you stop whining?" Snow snapped, but with humor dancing in her eyes. "You'll scare all the fish away."

"Well, forgive me," Emma said through gritted teeth, and no humor. "I don't tolerate ice water well, I wasn't after all, named after it!"

Snow yanked sharply on her end of the net, almost pulling Emma into the water. "Don't do that!" Emma shrieked. "I will SO get you if you knock me down!"

Snow quirked an eyebrow and smirked, an expression so like the one she usually wore, Emma felt like she was looking in a mirror. "Mmhmm, you're frozen _and_ you don't know how to run right. I think my odds of escape are good."

Emma's mouth dropped. She was staggered by how..._Emma _Snow's voice had just been. Recovering quickly, she glared at the younger woman. Teenagers could be _so_ annoying.

After what felt like forever, a large fish finally flopped into their net. Snow quickly let her end slack, to trap the fish, and Emma hurried to copy. Hurried so fast, that she dropped her end of the net.

Buh bye fish.

"Emma!" Snow barked.

"I'm sorry!" Emma cried, feeling about as useless as she'd been the first time around in the Enchanted Forest. "I'm sorry, okay?!"

Snow rolled her eyes. "Let's just try again, okay?"

Humbled, Emma picked up her end again, cringing at having to plunge her hands into the water, but this time didn't dare complain.

Emma was so busy silently berating herself, she didn't see Snow eyeing her guiltily.

"Hey, I'm sorry," Snow said. "I did that too, my first time. Really, it's okay."

Emma smiled up at the girl. "I told you, I'm no good at this camping stuff. I like to _buy_ my fish."

Snow chuckled. "Well, don't we all, _Princess_?"

Emma tugged on the net. "No one calls me princess, Princess!"

"Well, I _am _most certainly a princess, but I don't like your tone!" Snow grinned and tugged back on the net.

"My tone wasn't intended to please you!" Another tug.

The two women played tug of war with the net, giggling furiously. They gasped when the net suddenly ripped, sending them both flying backwards into the icy stream.

Emma sat up, sputtering and coughing. "SHIT! THIS WATER IS COLD!"

"NO SHIT SHERLOCK!" Snow shot back, mimicking Emma from the day before, and Emma allowed herself a pinch of pride that the younger girl used the phrase correctly. "Look what you did!"

"I did?!" Emma exclaimed. Mischievousness that wasn't quite usual for Emma overcame her, and she threw her arms back to hurl a wave of water at Snow, managing to pulse a tiny bit of magic into the splash, making it impossibly big.

Snow gasped, and feebly tried to splash back. "Oh you will pay!"

"Snow!"

Both women spun around at the low hiss, hearts in throats.

Red stood in the bank in her namesake cloak, clutching a basket and staring at Snow in horror.

"Snow White, what on earth is the matter with you? I could hear you all the way from the valley! Do you _want _Regina's men to find you!?"

Snow hunched over, shamefaced, and exchanged a look with the equally sheepish Emma.

"Who is _she_?" Red asked, still scowling and pointing at the blonde.

Snow held out a hand to Emma to help her out of the water. "This is Emma," she explained. "We can trust her, don't worry!"

Red hardly looked convinced. She snatched up Snow's cloak and flung it around her shivering form, while Emma eyed her clothes in desperation, not wanting to put them on while soaked.

"You _have _to be more careful," Red scolded.

Snow groaned. "I know, I know. We were trying to catch fish."

Red rolled her eyes. "And let me guess, you kept dropping it? You're awful at fishing, Snow."

"Ha!" Emma grinned past chattering teeth. "And you ridiculed ME!"

Red took pity on Emma at last, and took off her own cloak and handed it to her. Emma wrapped up in it with a grateful nod.

"Just don't take off with it," Red warned. "Trust me."

Emma chuckled, knowing full well why Red needed her cloak.

"I found Emma while Regina was trying to capture her for walking on her stupid road," Snow said. "I shot an arrow to distract her, but Regina saw me and tossed some magic fire at me."

"Snow…" Red droned.

"But Emma saved me!" Snow continued. "She has magic, too!"

Emma winced from the frightened look Red shot her. "I come in peace," she said.

"I know we can trust her, Red," Snow insisted.

Red still didn't look convinced. "How?"

Snow put one hand on her hip. "How did you know that you could trust me when I was in your henhouse stealing your eggs?"

"Is that some kind of metaphor?" Emma mumbled.

Red softened though, and smiled. "Alright, if you say she can be trusted, I believe you," she turned to Emma. "Sorry. Snow knows that I'm in no place to judge. She's just kind of the only friend I have."

"It's okay," Emma said. "I don't blame you. I have magic, but I'm not good at it. I'm still in the learning process. Either way, I'm just trying to find a way home."

Red nodded. "May I ask, what exactly _did_ you do to the Queen to save Snow?"

Snow laughed. "Tossed her through the air like a doll! You should have seen the look on her face before she was knocked out! Emma wasn't afraid of Regina at all. She refused to bow, and called her all sorts of terrible names!"

Red raised an eyebrow at Emma. "Okay, okay, I'm starting to see why you like her."

Snow gave Emma an 'I told you so' look and Emma laughed. "As fun as this is, can we like, build a fire now?"

* * *

Red had come with more food, so she and Snow built a small fire while Emma stayed out of the way. She explained to Red in the same way she had to Snow about where she had come from.

"So you need someone who knows magic to help you figure out how to make yourself go back?" Red asked.

"That's the only thing I can think of."

"Do you know of anyone who she can go to?" asked Snow. "Like a portal jumper?"

"I don't know of any portal jumpers…but…" Red hesitated, and fidgeted nervously.

"What?" Emma prompted.

"I've heard whispers of a man, a man who can grant the most unholy of requests."

Emma raised one eyebrow at the dramatic response, while Snow leaned forward eagerly.

"If anyone would know how to transport you home, it would be him. It is said he is the most powerful person in the realm. Though I cannot say I recommend it. It is said all things come at a price with him, a price that is usually far too high."

"Let me guess," Emma drolled. "Rumpelstiltskin."

"So you've heard of him," Red stated, while Snow's eyes went wide with curiosity.

Emma groaned inwardly. Unfortunately, he was the exact person she needed to talk to. But from what Emma had heard, the imp was even more impossible back in the old days.

"Do you know how to find him?"

"I know where they say the Dark Castle lays. But if you go to him, be warned, he is dangerous."

"I don't have a whole lot of options," Emma said with a shrug.

"Then good luck," said Red earnestly. "I will draw you a map. It's general, you'll have to ask the villagers once you're closer. And then I have to be going."

"So soon?" Snow said.

Red quirked an eyebrow at her. "That time of month, remember? I need to hunt. I'll bring you back some food, and _then_ we'll need to move you, you've been here too long."

Snow sighed and Emma smirked knowingly, handing back the red cloak. "I'm always a real bitch my time of the month, too."

Red's eyes flew open while Snow tried to choke back a laugh. "You have no idea, Emma!" Snow cried.

"Snow!" Red hissed.

"It's okay, Red," Emma said. "I, uh, I know what the cloak is for. I've heard of you, I mean. Your kind. The wolf thing."

Red paled. "You have?"

Emma placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. "Yep, and I think you're awesome. I always did like wolves."

Red's face lit up in a smile, and Snow grinned along with her. "I knew you'd like her."

* * *

After drilling Emma on the directions, and Snow on being more quiet and careful, Red trotted back off into the woods.

"So, when are we leaving?" Snow asked.

"We?" It wasn't that Emma didn't _want_ Snow to join her, but she didn't want to derail the journey the girl was already on. "Look, as much as I appreciate all you've done for me, Snow, I think maybe it's best if I go see Rumpelstiltskin alone."

Snow looked crestfallen. "But you said yourself that you don't know the woods. And I do! You'll just get lost!"

As much as Emma hated to admit it, Snow was right. In a city, Emma was a human GPS. In the wilderness…not so much. "What about Red? She'll come looking for you."

"I'll leave her a note, one only she'll understand. She knows I may not always be able to be here when she returns, she knows I may have to move. Please, Emma?"

Emma eyed her. "Why are you so concerned with what happens to me? You don't even know me."

Snow looked at the ground. "You'll think it's silly."

"Try me."

She shrugged one shoulder. "It's just, ever since we met, I've had the strangest feeling that we've met before."

Emma's eyebrows shot up. Now where had she heard _that_ before? Caving in far too easily for anyone's good, she nodded once. "Okay. We'll go together. In the morning?"

Snow grinned excitedly and began to babble about the preparations they'd need to make.

Starting with a makeover.

* * *

"Why do I need new clothes again?" Emma whispered as they tiptoed down an alleyway in a small town.

"Because you stand out," Snow whispered back. "I don't have money, but this is for the greater good."

"Right. Just keep that damn hood up, those stupid posters are everywhere."

"There," Snow pointed at a stand in the town square that was selling shawls and cloaks. "That pink one is pretty."

"Yeah, and totally appropriate for wilderness camouflage. How 'bout grey one? I'll distract him, and you grab it, okay?"

It didn't take much to attract attention. Her wildly flowing blonde hair and bright red jacket were plenty enough. She strolled into the square like she owned the place, nodding politely to those who were openly staring.

"These are nice," she said to the person manning the clothing stand.

"You…uh…like red?" the man asked.

Emma fingered some scarves off to the side, causing the man to turn his back on the grey cloak which promptly disappeared into the folds of a green one.

Once Snow was safely back in the shadows and off to their meeting place, Emma smiled at the man and moved on, acting like she was looking at other wares. She eventually managed to wade into a crowd, then vanish between buildings.

"There you are!" Snow breathed once Emma reached their meeting place at the top of a hill. "I was getting worried."

"Sorry, it wasn't easy getting _out _of sight once I was _in _it. You were right, definitely need the wardrobe change. Hungry?" she pulled out a couple of pears and block of cheese from inside her jacket.

Snow's eyes widened. "How did you…"

Emma smirked. "I got a few tricks of my own. Got this, too," she grinned wickedly and flashed a large dagger.

Snow nodded appreciatively. "Impressive. Here's your cloak. And these, too," she produced a pair of tan suede pants, much like her own, a wide brown belt, and a dark green tunic. "They should fit."

"Where did _those _come from?"

"A clothesline."

Happy that they were from clean laundry and not off some drunk guy's back, Emma put on the clothes that fit surprisingly well. In the end she was dressed very similarly to Snow, a fact which oddly pleased her.

Emma and Snow made their way further into the woods, laughing and bragging to one another about their little heist.

_Now this is my kind of bonding,_ Emma thought to herself.

* * *

**FINALLY Once returns tomorrow! These have been the longest three weeks ever, lol. Hopefully I'll have my next chapter edited and ready by tomorrow, since this one is being posted so late at night, and since tomorrow is cause for celebration! Haha.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Well, I know it's late, but I said I'd post the next chapter today and well...darn it it's after midnight my time. Sorry! Haha. But that episode tonight...I won't say anything spoilery...but some people might know about my little pet peeve concerning Charming's forrealreal name in fanfiction. And I'd just like to say...told ya so. ;) (But seriously, who didn't know it by this point, anyway? lol)**

**Anyway, this is actually a pretty short chapter too, that's the main reason I wanted to go ahead and get it up, because after this is when the story moves forward some more, and I'm still doing some pretty big editing on the next bit. I hope you like it! Let me know, either way and thanks for reading!**

* * *

Emma and Snow made their way companionably through the dense forest. Emma was pleased with herself for quickly getting back into the swing of hours of walking without a charted path. She was awed, not for the first time, by Snow's effortless maneuvering and perfect sense of direction.

_I inherit her stubbornness, but I couldn't inherit her woodsmanship?_

Regardless of the fact that Red had taught her the necessary skills to survive alone in the wilderness, Snow _had _to have been a natural. If Emma didn't know better, she would have thought Snow to have been raised a wild child, not a pampered princess.

She also had to admit that her new clothes were quite comfortable, and far more suited to being outdoors in chilly weather. Luckily she'd already been wearing her comfortable, knee-high boots, which were fashionable enough to this land to blend in with her outfit and comfy enough to walk for endless hours.

Snow was studying Red's map. "The village Red told us about shouldn't be much farther. We should probably think about setting up camp, then head into it in the morning."

"Whatever you say," Emma was just anxious for a rest, but refused to be the one to ask to stop.

Suddenly, Snow's head shot up and she froze. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear wh…"

A pair of burly arms grabbed Emma's waist from behind, hoisting her into the air. She yelped in surprise and struggled against the grasp, but the man was incredibly strong.

"Emma!" Snow exclaimed, reaching behind her back for an arrow, but the holster was ripped off her back by a second man.

"Well what do we got here?" the man waving Snow's arrows above her head sneered. He was hairy and muscular and horribly ugly. His face was scarred as if from many battles, and his ears were pierced with what looked like tent stakes.

Emma nearly gagged from the stench of the man holding her, guessing that he probably looked much the same.

"A pair of pretty little girls, all lost and alone…" the one holding Emma said, voice dripping in menace and sarcasm. "We should help them."

"Or help ourselves _to _them?" the other chortled.

"What do you want?" Snow seethed, sounding as if they were no more than unwelcome nuisances, not dangerous looking men. Her body coiled and tensed, ready to strike out if either of them decided to reach for her.

The second man just laughed and waved her arrows at her. "I like this one, Cod, she looks like a little fighter!"

"That's fine," Cod said, and Emma grunted, trying to kick him. "I like mine, she's nice and strong!"

"Let us go you dipshits," Emma yelled. "Or you'll seriously regret it!"

"Tough words from a helpless girl," a third man spoke, emerging from behind a tree. He was skinnier then the other two, but just as fearsome looking. If not more, since his eyes belayed some intelligence. "Sod, don't let the little one get away, I don't think you boys realize what we found here."

Sod snatched Snow by the arm, as if she were preparing to flee, which she wasn't. Instead she used the leverage to kick him in the jaw.

"Ow! Little bitch!" Sod reared back, still holding her arm, and backslapped her across the face.

"Snow!" Emma screamed. "Don't you hurt her!"

"So it's true," the skinnier man said, eyes glinting. "If it isn't little Snow White."

Emma bit her tongue, but guessed that he already knew by his gleeful expression.

"Hey, there's a huge reward out for that one," Cod exclaimed.

"Yeah," Sod hissed. "_Dead _or alive! Can I just kill her, Sam?"

Sam reached down where Snow was slumped against Sod's hold, and roughly grabbed her chin. "Shame to dispatch of something so pretty. They weren't kidding when they called her the fairest of them all."

Snow spit in his face.

"What about this one?" Cod asked, bouncing Emma as if to indicate her. Emma growled and struggled again in vain.

Sam raised one eyebrow at Emma thoughtfully. "She's got a lot of spirit, that one," he grinned maliciously. "Do whatever, she's of no importance."

"No!" Snow shrieked, and Sod slapped her again.

"What about Snow White?" Sod asked impatiently.

"Don't kill her," Sam replied. "We'll gain favor from the Queen if we deliver her alive," he smiled, showing his mouthful of rotted teeth. "Just make sure she's completely broken before then."

"Gladly," Sod sneered, and threw Snow to the ground to straddle her waist. "I'm gonna enjoy this."

"Don't touch her!" Emma screamed, fighting harder, but her captor's hold was like steel. "I swear to God if you touch her..."

Cod laughed, the sound rumbling through her. "Let's watch, Little Pretty, huh?"

Snow screamed, fighting and kicking and biting for all she was worth, but the man on top of her, whose hands were then wandering disgustingly over her body, was simply too strong. A single tear rolled down the young woman's face, and that's when Emma snapped.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER!"

The weight of the arms around her were suddenly gone in a blinding flash of power and she landed on her feet. She didn't look behind her to see where Cod had flown, instead narrowed her eyes at Sod.

"What the…" Sam lunged after her, and she spared him a quick glance that had him spiraling through the air and against a tree.

Sod released Snow, and shakily rose to his feet, holding his hands up in surrender. Snow jumped up and ran to stand behind Emma.

"P…please…"Sod stammered, face white. "F…forgive me…I…"

Emma reached out her right hand, and Sod straightened, gasping for air and clawing at his neck, trying to loosen the invisible noose.

"H…have…m…mercy…my lady…" he gasped, eyes bulging.

"Mercy?" Emma hissed. "Give me one damn reason..." she tightened her hand.

"Emma…" Snow's voice was soft yet firm in Emma's ear. "Enough."

As if breaking out of a trance, Emma released her grip on Sod, and let him slump, unconscious, to the ground.

She looked at Snow, blinking dazedly. "Are you okay?"

Snow nodded, though there were tears in her eyes and an awful bruise forming on her cheek. "Let's just go?"

She grabbed Emma's hand and led her through the forest, far away from the unconscious men. As they were leaving, Emma turned around to finally look at the man who had been holding her, who she never even saw, but Snow tugged harder on her arm, pulling her away.

Not before she caught a glimpse of the giant black charred spot on the ground where a man once stood.

* * *

They ran well into the night, before finally dropping from exhaustion in a small clearing. "We should be relatively safe here," Snow whispered. "I don't think there were more, and there's no way they could have followed. I made sure."

They didn't build a fire, just in case, and instead huddled close together and nibbled on dried beef.

"I'm sorry," Emma mumbled.

"Sorry?" Snow asked, genuinely puzzled. "What on earth are you sorry for?"

"That you had to see that, me losing my control that way. I'm sorry."

Snow smiled, the sweet expression only making her bruises more pronounced. "Emma, you saved my life. That's nothing to apologize for. Those men got what was coming to them."

Emma chuckled. "No, I can't say I'm too sorry about _them_, I just hope I didn't scare you."

Snow leaned against her shoulder. "You won't hurt me. You only protect people."

Emma in turn leaned her head on Snow's. "I protect people I care about."

They were quiet for while, while the image of that black spot on the ground drilled into Emma's brain. She opened her mouth several times to talk about it, but couldn't figure out the words. She'd known men like Cod, Sod, and Sam in her life, unfortunately, and what she wouldn't have given for these types of abilities back then...or someone to be there for her like she had been for Snow. Though the thought of killing a man made her queasy, she couldn't say she was sorry. She hadn't even done it on purpose. But in those seconds when she released her pent up power, and nearly squeezed the life out of someone, all the others who ever hurt her flew before her eyes and it felt like vindication.

She was relieved that Snow stopped her...and yet, she wasn't.

* * *

Emma awoke to Snow whimpering in her sleep about a foot away from her. She tossed and turned, her face contorted in fear. "No…please, don't…" she cried.

Emma watched her for a moment, heart twisting. Comfort just wasn't her thing, nor was physical affection. It had taken some time before Henry's frequent hugs didn't spark intense discomfort in her. And even though she knew that if her mother had her way, she'd be constantly holding her daughter, hugging her, stroking her hair, her mother knew that Emma just wasn't comfortable with that much physical contact all the time.

Even so, Emma just couldn't sit by and watch Snow…Mary Margaret..._her mother _cry in her sleep. She scooted closer, wrapping one arm around her, and tucking the other under Snow's head to pull her against her chest.

"Shh," she soothed. "It's okay, Snow."

She couldn't see her face, but she felt Snow tense for a second, felt her eyes flutter open against her neck, then quickly relax into Emma's embrace before more tears fell.

"I dreamt that he was on top of me again," she whimpered and Emma tightened her grip possesively. "But this time you weren't there. I cried for my father, but he couldn't come. There was no one, and I wasn't strong enough."

"It's was just a dream," Emma murmured against the top of Snow's head. "They're not going to hurt you ever again," she stroked the girl's long black hair, the movement coming surprisingly natural to her. "Go back to sleep. I've got you."

She felt rather than saw Snow smile, and the girl snuggled more closely against her, sighing deeply. Just before drifting off to sleep herself, she heard the girl sleepily mutter something that sounded an awful lot like: "I wish my stepmother could have been you."

* * *

The next morning, they started off walking again, only this time with less smiling, less teasing, and far less talking.

Though normally one to relish quiet, Emma kept staring worriedly at the back of Snow's head. "Hey, you know I doubt there are more. And if there are, they've probably run scared!"

Snow glanced back and shot her an appreciative smile. "I've just been thinking..."

Emma trotted to fall into step at her side. "About what?"

"About what might have happened if you hadn't been there."

"But I _was_ there, okay? It's over."

Snow suddenly changed the subject. "Tell me more about your mother."

"My...huh?" Emma asked nervously.

"Your mother. The way you talk about her makes it seem like you are quite close. What's her name?"

Emma bit her lip. "Um, well, her name is...Mary Margaret. I'm still getting to know her. You know, I actually lived with her for a year without even knowing we were related!" _should I even be telling her this?! _"She was my best friend long before I knew she was my mom."

"Really? That's amazing!" Snow exclaimed. "You must have been so happy when you learned the truth!"

Emma made a face. "Actually I was kinda weirded out. I spent my whole life thinking I'd been abandoned...finding out that it wasn't the case...that my parents loved me after all...it was, I guess, overwhelming. And in a way, I think I kinda felt like I lost my best friend."

"Hmm," Snow nodded. "I suppose I can understand that. But now? Now are you closer?"

"We're getting there. I...I have a hard time opening up to people."

Snow giggled, and Emma was elated to hear the sound again. "Are you now? You're an open book with me! I think you're just afraid that it's all too good to be true, that your life can't possibly be so full now, with a son, parents...I just hope you don't waste it, Emma. You have no idea how lucky you are to have your mother. I hope you don't let time slip away. You've already lost so much of it."

Emma couldn't quite formulate a response. Here she was getting advice about her mother...from her mother.

"What does she look like? Is she blonde, like you?"

Emma smirked. "Nope, hair as black as night, like you."

Snow furrowed her brow, and Emma broke out into a cold sweat when the younger woman's eyes contemplated her features, settling on her chin.

_Oops, too far..._

Snow only smiled though, and made no further comment.

"Tell me about your mom..." Emma requested hurriedly to get away from the subject of _her _mom.

"Oh she was beautiful," Snow said softly. "My father used to tell me all the time that I looked just like her, but I have a hard time seeing it."

"Why? You're gorgeous."

Snow held up a lock of matted curls and snorted. "I don't feel very pretty, but that isn't what I mean. When I was a princess, appearance was everything to me. That ridiculous "Fairest of Them All" title made me feel like if I was anything less...I'd be a disappointment to Father. Mother didn't _have _to dress up, or fix her hair, or do anything to be beautiful, she just was. It's kind of hard to live up to."

"I see where you're coming from," Emma said. "My mom...she has kind of a legacy too. A big one in fact, one I don't know how the hell I'm supposed to live up to. Both she and my dad are...amazing. And what am I? I'm just Emma."

"You're amazing," Snow said with so much conviction Emma was too taken aback to dispute it. "You're strong, and brave, you have _magic_, but not like Regina...your magic comes from what's good inside you. _You_ are beautiful Emma, for so many more reasons than your pretty face. And I bet your parents couldn't be more proud."

Emma's inner demons screamed at her to tell the girl that she's wrong, but hearing it from Snow, knowing that she's never anything but honest, and knowing that the opinion isn't biased by motherhood...Emma actually for a moment believed it.

She nudged the younger woman's shoulder with her own. "You should give yourself a pep talk, Snow, cause everything you just said? Same goes for you."

Snow chuckled. "Except for magic?"

"Hmm, I dunno. Yeah, so maybe you can't shove people without touching them or hurl fire or anything like that, but I think there's something inside you, too. Something crying to break free. A hero."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah. I really do."


	5. Chapter 5

**You guys are officially the best with all your reviews/favs/follows! Thanks again! Now, as promised...PLOT! I give you plot! Lol. I'm actually quite pleased with how this chapter turned out, so I hope y'all are too. It starts off with a scene that I couldn't resist adding in light of our most recent episode, and also due to the high request for some Bandit Bonding, which, incidentally, I love. So voila! Enjoy!**

**Oh, also, several reviewers said that they are worried about the repercussions of Emma in the past. I'm actually kind of flattered that my story actually causes you to worry, lol! All I will say though is, have faith in me! :)**

* * *

"I thought you said that the village was just over that hill," Emma groused. "We're over that hill. Know what I see? Another hill."

Snow grinned and wrinkled her nose at her. "We're following a map made from memory, Emma. Red is many things, but a mapmaker she is not."

"Cartographer."

"What?"

Emma raised an eyebrow. "A mapmaker is called a cartographer. A crazy man told me so."

Snow rolled her eyes. "Right. Anyway, she does however have a fantastic memory and sense of direction, so it can't be far now. Oh, look!"

Snow skipped over some brush and darted stealthily ahead, while Emma clumsily attempted to copy.

"What's that?"

"It's a road, Emma."

"I know it's a road, why are we staring at it?"

"It's one of the highways Regina uses. We're staring at it because I think I know where we are now. If I'm right, this road goes between King George's kingdom and our summer palace," she made a face. "The palace built for my mother. I think the village should be on the other side, and down into the valley. Funny, I don't remember hearing about any Dark Castle around here."

"I just hope these people know where to find it."

Snow leaned against the tree. "Red says all things come at a price with Rumpelstiltskin. What if he asks you for something you cannot give?"

She shrugged. "Figure it out on my own, I guess. But don't worry, I can handle this."

"I know you can. But if this doesn't work, we'll find a way to get you home. I promise."

Emma sighed. "Thanks. But I can't have you uprooting your life for me."

Snow barked a laugh. "Don't you think my life is already uprooted?"

"Yeah...well...don't you have a true love to find or something?"

Snow gave her a "are you kidding me?" look. "True love? Don't tell me you believe in love at first sight or any of that. It doesn't exist. I don't need, nor want a man."

Emma's eyebrows shot up. "Noted...but I..."

A clattering of hooves interrupted them and Snow shushed Emma.

"Who's that?" Emma whispered, watching a carriage roll slowly down the path.

Snow snorted. "A noble of some sort, by the looks of it. Probably from George's kingdom. Those don't look like Regina's guards."

"By not looking like Regina's guards you mean their heads don't make them look like they stuck their fingers into electrical outlets? Then yeah. Can they go any slower?"

"Nobles," Snow smirked. "Think they have all the time in the world."

Emma sniffed the air, and realized something smelled absolutely delicious. "Oh God, what is that smell?"

Snow's face took on a dreamy quality. "It smells like...mmm, it smells like..."

"Steak!" Emma exclaimed. "Holy Chimera, they have freakin' steak in there!"

"I haven't had anything like that in ages..." Snow murmured, almost licking her lips.

"Snow?"

"Yes, Emma?"

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Are you thinking about doing the right and proper thing and sitting here until they pass and then go catch us a rabbit to cook?"

"Nope. I'm thinking about going down there and totally sniping their food."

"Great. Me too. Our mothers would be so proud."

Emma was beginning to think that hers actually would.

* * *

They quietly made their way farther ahead of the carriage, and planted themselves close to the road behind a thick of weeds. A plan was swiftly discussed, and they prepared themselves for action.

"Can you whistle loudly?" Snow whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Okay, if anything goes wrong, we'll whistle at one another and make a break for it, okay? And if we get seperated, we'll wait an hour, then meet back here."

"Got it. Ready?"

"Ready."

The two women shook hands, and Snow chuckled when Emma attempted to teach her one of those silly secret handshakes that Henry had taught her.

Emma watched as Snow rolled into the pathway just before the carriage came around the bend and pulled her hood securely over her face before holding her knee and groaning in pain.

"Who goes there?" a guard riding alongside the carriage said.

Snow merely moaned in response.

Emma slinked through the brush as quietly as she possibly could, and winced when her foot slipped on the uneven ground. The rustle, however, was drowned out by a well-placed anguished groan from Snow.

"What's going on?" a man from inside the carriage snapped, peeking his head out the door. Emma couldn't get a good look at him, but thought his voice sounded vaguely familiar.

"This woman is hurt!" the guard called. "It looks like she must have fallen down the hill."

"Well, unless she's dying, can we get a move on?" another man from inside the carriage asked.

_Classy_. Emma thought wryly.

She heard instead of saw the guard attempt to move Snow, but she only screamed as if in agony.

_Damn. She is good._

One of the men from the carriage, the first one to speak, got out, huffing in irritation. He was older, dressed like a royal, and Emma still thought he looked familiar, but she still couldn't place him.

"Just move her to the side! We haven't got all day."

Emma snuck up behind the carriage and tried to peek inside the back window. There was only one other person inside, and a table laden with delectable-looking food.

The man inside looked young, which meant he could be fast, and would make the next portion of the plan difficult.

Now, several men were trying to delicately move Snow, but they weren't as crass as their boss, and didn't want to hurt her.

With all their attention focused on Snow, Emma slowly, very slowly, opened the door that the boss man wasn't standing beside.

The young man inside wasn't paying a lick of attention, and Emma spied a bag of what appeared to be coins sitting at his feet. And it was right within reach.

As fast as she could, Emma snatched the small bag and bolted, hearing the man's outraged cry of, "The gold!"

Emma ran, sparing a glance behind her to find the man, sword drawn, as well as all of the soldiers close behind. The older man was shouting obscenities.

_Oh, now I remember who he is_, Emma thought as she picked up speed. _The DA from Storybrooke. Spencer. Who is here again? Oh shit..._

Emma was fast, but she didn't quite count on the prince behind her as being faster. She felt the point of a sword catch her foot and she went flying.

She spun herself around, coming face to face with...her father?

"You little bitch!" he spat, grabbing her roughly by the shoulder and pinning her down. "Did you honestly think you'd get away with this?"

"David?" Emma asked, breathing hard from her run.

"Your Highness," the guards finally caught up. "You caught her!"

"Of course I did," he said smugly. "No little peasant girl is going to outrun me. Besides, I think she may be a little touched in the head. She thinks I'm someone named David," the guards chuckled obediently.

_Shit!_ Emma's mind was running rampant. _Not David! This is definitely not David!_

"What will you do with her, Prince James?"

James's eyes met Emma's face, but only after roving over her body. "What you think, beautiful? I'll let you up and send you on your merry little way, if you make it worth my while..."

Emma felt physically ill at the man's words, and even more his lewd expression, since for all the world he looked and sounded exactly like her dad.

"You're sick," she snapped. "I am so happy my mom got David," with that she proceeded to kick James where the sun doesn't shine, then toss the bag of gold coins at the guards before darting into the woods.

When Emma got back to the area of the carriage, she stayed well out of sight but had to cover her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing at everyone's shocked outrage at the sudden disappearance of all their food.

They must have actually been in a hurry after all, because they didn't attempt to find the women, only prepared to get back on their way.

Snow emerged from the forest, grinning like the Cheshire Cat, and victoriously holding up a folded up tablecloth that smelled delicious.

"You okay?" Emma asked.

"As soon as you swiped the gold, all of the guards forgot all about me! I expected at least one of them to stay behind! King George was standing right there, but he didn't even see me, all I had to do was stroll in and take it all! Poor rich boys will be hungry until they get home."

Emma laughed. "Mission accomplished!" she held up her hand for a high five, but lowered it awkwardly when Snow only stared.

"Who's that?" Snow asked suddenly.

Emma looked back down the hill to see James, now riding a horse alongside the carriage instead of in it, looking at the trees as if trying to spot them.

She looked back at Snow, who was eyeing James in a way that could only be described as attraction.

Emma gulped and hesitated nervously. What would happen if Snow had met that guy before his twin took over? "I dunno, some prince."

"He was who chased you...he didn't hurt you or anything, did he?"

Emma licked her lips. "No. No he didn't hurt me, he asked for his gold back and sent me on my way."

"Oh, good. Well, come on then, let's make camp. I'm starved!"

* * *

Emma and Snow enjoyed their spoils, both convinced that a meal stolen from nobles was somehow better than any other meal ever. Emma was relieved that the younger woman seemed in much higher spirits than before.

The mischievousness and fire in Snow's eyes while planning their latest rip-off had amused Emma to no end. She'd seen it in her mother before. The first time being when she Sparta-kicked Jefferson out of a two story window. But here...here Snow was so spirited in a way Emma had never seen. She was full of fight, but not in a desperate effort to protect Emma. Even though that protectiveness warmed Emma every time, it was enlightening to see Snow...this way.

They'd started taking watches at night, not feeling quite safe enough sleeping at the same time after their attack. During her turn, Emma watched Snow sleep. Something she may or may not have done a time or two or twelve the last time she traipsed around the Enchanted Forest with her mom. Her face looked smaller framed by all of that untamed hair.

Staring at her, Emma realized that her mother had barely aged in nearly eleven years, not counting the 28 she was frozen in time. It was remarkable, considering all she'd been through. At going on 20 or going on 30, Snow White was the most beautiful woman Emma had ever seen, inside and out. Emma enjoyed picking out all the features she inherited from her, though it was something she only did in secret. Her mother didn't know how much it thrilled her to think that she looked like her.

Emma allowed herself to smile at Snow's sleeping form in a way that she didn't normally smile when anyone was looking. Because if she looked like her mother? She wouldn't admit it out loud, but that must mean she's beautiful too.

* * *

The following morning, after walking in circles for hours, they finally stumbled upon the village Red spoke about. It was small, as in blink and you miss it, and nestled between two mountains making it quite isolated and well hidden.

"Ugh, finally!" Emma groaned. "Let's just pray that someone here actually knows how to find the Dark Castle."

"Here, here," Snow mumbled, copying Emma's grumpiness to a T. It made Emma laugh a little.

It seemed to be a very poor town; everyone was filthy and dressed in tattered clothes, and the mud and thatch houses were all in terrible shape. Children were playing in a grassy field, and stopped cold at the sight of the two women.

Luckily they were pretty much in the same state of discomposer, so at least they didn't stick out so badly. But Emma knew very well what being a stranger in a small town that probably didn't get many visitors was like. It made you a spectacle.

"Keep your hood down," Emma whispered, but Snow's hood was already almost completely covering her face.

"You too," Snow whispered back. "Cover your hair. That color is uncommon here, and we already look like outsiders."

Emma did what Snow said, realizing that she hadn't seen a single person, save for perhaps James, with hair as light as hers since arriving back here.

As they moved farther into the shabby town, men nodded politely, women whispered to one another behind hands, and children openly stared, but no one seemed too perturbed.

"Greetings Mi'ladies," an older man said kindly from behind a wagon of fruits and vegetables. "Haven't seen you two around here before. Not that I mind!" he winked.

Sensing nothing but friendliness in the old man, Emma smiled and stepped closer, pretending to look over the fruit. "Hi. I'm, uh, Swan" she wasn't sure why she didn't want to use her real name. "...this is...uh, my sister, Mary Margaret," Snow sniggered. "We were just passing through..."

The man lowered his head, trying to peer under Snow's hood, so she casually moved away, as if to look around. "My name is John. Welcome. Are you hungry?" he held up some kind of apple-sized fruit Emma had never seen before. "I grow these myself, sweet as sugar they are!"

"Um, thank you very much, but I'm afraid we don't have any money. We're just trying to find someone."

John's eyes sparkled and he held the fruit out again. "No charge for this one, Lady, take one for your sister as well. Please, I insist."

Emma took the fruit hesitantly, not doubting John's sincerity, but not feeling right about taking something for free from someone who obviously had very little, even if it was offered. But she was hungry, and didn't want to insult the man, so she took a bite, finding the soft, juicy thing to be as sweet as he said.

"This is delicious!" she exclaimed. "Why don't you try selling these in the bigger towns? You could probably get a bundle for them."

John shrugged. "Oh, I've tried, but they don't care for taking products from poor folk like me."

"That's dumb, good food is good food."

"I suppose it's just how the world works, dear. But hopefully our luck will be turning soon. Now, do you plan on staying in town? We have an inn, but I fear it is no place for ladies such as yourself."

"Oh...no, we weren't planning to stay..."

John dusted his hands off on his overalls. "Well, you say you're looking for someone? I'd be more than happy to help you in any way that I can, come, why don't you get your sister and let's go see what my wife has made for supper, shall we?"

A sudden commotion and collection of gasps caught their attention. Emma spun and immediately searched for Snow, panic rising in her chest thinking that she must have been spotted. In a town as poor as this one, the reward for Snow's capture would be far too tempting.

But Snow ran up behind her, still securely hidden behind her hood. "Emma..." she whispered.

John came around from behind his cart at the same time a tiny, round woman came bustling to him. "John! Has he arrived?!"

"Clara," John took the woman's shoulders. "I want you to go back home, and take these two girls with you. They're not from here, and they don't need to be here."

"Whoa, wait, what's going on?" Emma asked. "Who's arrived?"

"Look!" Snow exclaimed, grabbing Emma's arm and pointing.

Emma turned a peered at the crown, seeing a very peculiar looking person coming toward them - actually, he was skipping. His skin was a strange, unnatural greenish color, and almost sparkled with gold flecks. He got within a few feet of them and turned inhuman yellow eyes directly on Emma.

Emma's mouth dropped and eyes flew open wide a split second before John breathed, "Rumpelstiltskin..."

"Neeeyaaa," Rumpelstiltskin giggled, clapping his hands in a creepy, childish manner. "My, my oh, my, are they what you're offering me today? Pretty. Very pretty."

Emma recoiled violently. That was Rumpelstiltskin?! Okay, she'd heard stories. She'd skimmed his tale in Henry's book. She knew that the Rumpelstiltskin of old was a devilish Puck who madly scribbled her name over and over on a piece of paper while imprisoned. But somehow she'd still pictured a person closer to how she knew Gold, suave and calculating, not...this. Nothing could have prepared her _him_.

"My Lord," John said, bowing. "We thank you for coming to us. These ladies are not our offering. They are not from here."

Rumpelstiltskin giggled again, making Emma flinch. He peered knowingly at Snow whose hood had pulled back from her face somewhat. "I can see that. It was a joke, Dearie, I have no need for a lady...anymore."

Emma jumped when Clara's hand suddenly clamped down on Emma's arm, and she pulled both her and Snow to stand farther back.

"My Lord," John said. "Our people are suffering. We have little to eat, and no money."

"Yes, yes, I know, I know," Rumpelstiltskin said, impatiently waving his hand. "You want gold, correct?"

John nodded nervously.

Rumpelstiltskin snapped his fingers, and in poof of purple smoke, his hand became full of golden straw. "I can see to it that you will want for nothing anymore. For a price."

"Whatever it is, I'll pay it!" John said.

"No!" Emma blurted. Snow and Clara both shot her horrified looks while all eyes turned to her. "You can't just accept his offer without knowing what he wants!"

Rumpelstiltskin trilled. "Too late, Dearie! The deal is struck!" he snapped his fingers again and it began to rain golden straw. The people of the village cheered and laughed as they gathered it.

John's face was white. "What...what will you ask of me, Dark One?"

Rumpelstiltskin stepped closer until he was only inches from the old man's face. "At the top of that mountain, there is a shrine to some god no one cares about anymore. Inside, there is an object I need, but the temple is enchanted and guarded by a terrible beast. I need you to go retrieve the item for me."

Clara cried out and John looked near to fainting.

"My Lord, please," Clara exclaimed, rushing forward and clutching John's arm. "My husband is not young, he is not a warrior! Surely there is someone else who can complete the task!"

"He should have thought of that before he called for me! Or will you back down, coward?" Rumpelstiltskin snapped viciously.

"He is right, my love," John said, his voice wavering. "I called him. I accepted his deal without thinking. I will do as he asks."

Emma and Snow exchanged panicked expressions.

"You'll leave immediately! Don't bother packing...it's doubtful you'll return!"

Clara sobbed, and the others who were gathered stared guiltily at their fistfuls of gold.

"Wait!" Emma exclaimed, shoving past the crowd to stand before Rumpelstiltskin again. Snow let out a squeak of surprise, but hurried to stand beside her. "Let me go instead."

"Emma..." Snow whispered pleadingly, but when Emma looked into her eyes, the younger woman nodded resignedly. Besides, if Emma hadn't spoken first, Snow probably would have.

"You?" Rumpelstiltskin tittered.

"Think about it, Rumpel," Emma sneered. "An aging man who's probably never lifted a sword? Do you actually want the item? I can get it..." she sighed. "I've done the like before."

"A deal is a deal, Dearie, and you're not the one who made the deal!"

"Bullshit," Emma snapped, causing several women in the crowd to gasp in scandal. "You just want results, you don't really care how it gets done," she stepped forward, mimicking his threatening behavior toward John before. "And do you really think you're one to call someone else a coward?"

Rumpelstiltskin's eyes flew open, and everyone else seemed to be holding their breaths. "Who are you?" he hissed.

"Someone who needs to get home," Emma said. "I'll go and get your...whatever, in place of John. And in return, I need your help in finding a way back to where I belong."

Rumpelstiltskin's eyes flitted up and down Emma's form in an appraising way that made her acutely uncomfortable. "You're a curious creature, aren't you?" he leaned forward and Emma forced herself not to take a step back. "You have...magic."

"Yeah," Emma said simply. "But I need your help to figure out how to use it to get me back where I came from. Is it a deal, or not, Rumpel?"

Rumpelstiltskin frowned at the nickname, but stepped back, hopping lightly and holding up a finger the way she'd actually seen Gold do before. _Oh Lord, I'm never gonna be able to look at Gold the same way again..._

"You forget, Dearie, you've offered to step in to complete their deal. A deal in which to help you home would come at another cost."

"Alright. Then what?"

Snow grabbed Emma's wrist and squeezed.

Rumpel giggled. "Well if it isn't little Snow White herself! Far from home, aren't you, Dearie?"

Emma took a discreet step closer to Snow, aware of the sudden attention on her by the growing crowd. "This isn't about her, _Dearie_," she drew out the obnoxious nickname. "This is about you and me. What do you want in return? And none of your ridiculous word riddles. I can see right through you."

Rumpelstiltskin stared at her as if she were the most fascinating alien from another planet...one he would love to study. "You are a plucky one! My price for you is simple. Tell me your name."

"Sounds like a trick," Snow mumbled.

"Mi'lady," John said. "If he knows your name he has power over you! Don't give it to him!"

But Emma knew what kind of "power" names had for him, and she wasn't afraid. He'd know it soon enough anyhow. "Emma," she said. "My name is Emma."

"Emma..." he breathed, as if it were he most delightful word he'd ever spoken. His eyes lit up in blooming understanding, and when they flicked over to Snow and back, Emma knew that he knew exactly who she was.

She held her breath, wondering if he'd out her to Snow.

"Very well, Emma," he trilled and poofed a scroll into his hand. "This map will lead you to the shrine, and then to my castle if you succeed. And should you make it, I will do everything in my power to help you."

"Wait," Emma said. "What is it that you want from the temple?"

Rumpel narrowed her eyes at her with a mischievous grin. "Something tells me you'll know it when you see it."

Emma accepted the scroll and Rumpelstiltskin vanished with a giggle into a puff of purple smoke.

"Mi'lady," John exclaimed. "I cannot allow you to do this for me! I should be the one to go!"

"The deal is struck," Emma said. "I can't go back on it now. I can do this, John, don't worry," she mumbled the rest: "It won't be the first time."

"I don't like this," Snow said, her grip on Emma's wrist almost painful. "What if when we succeed, he doesn't keep his end of the bargain?"

"One thing I know about the little imp," Emma sighed. "Is that he never goes back on his word. Ever. And what's this about we?"

"I'm going with you," Snow said as if it were obvious.

"Oh no," Emma shook her head wildly. No way was she about to let her mother risk herself this way. "I'm the one who volunteered for this. You're not coming."

"But I thought we were in this together," she said in that same sweet, disappointed voice that Emma's mom used to guilt her into everything.

"We are," she droned, refusing to cave this time. "And I'll come back for you, I swear! But this is something I have to do alone, okay?"

Snow didn't respond, giving her a look that said, "this isn't over."

In the end, it was decided that Snow would accompany Emma up the mountain, but not all the way to the temple. Emma admitted to being hesitant to leave the other alone in the town now that everyone knew her identity, even though new riches and gratitude seemed to make the villagers uninterested in the outlawed Snow White.

John and Clara insisted upon a large meal before the girls left, and Emma was given a slightly rusted sword.

"I wish I had better to offer you," John said, his voice laden with guilt. "If I had time, I would have the best sword made for you money could buy! But this sword saved my father in the Ogre Wars, it won't fail you."

"Thank you, John," Emma accepted the sword gratefully.

"Thank _you_, Emma," Clara said, tears in her eyes. "I don't know how we'll ever repay you."

Emma glanced back at Snow, who was occupied packing a knapsack with food. "I know exactly how you can repay me. You know who she is, right?"

John nodded. "Of course. She was the princess, before her step-mother the queen put a price on her head."

"Swear your allegiance to Snow White. Let this be a place she can hide if she needs to...and if she comes back without me...make sure she's safe. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes! Of course!" John exclaimed. "The rightful Queen will always be welcome here."

Emma smiled, relieved, and accepted the pack Snow came to offer her.

With a fond goodbye, Emma and Snow left the village behind and started their trek up the mountain.


	6. Chapter 6

**Happy Valentine's Day to my wonderful readers! Do you guys have any idea how happy your reviews make me? Like, super happy, so this is my Valentine's gift to you! I wasn't planning to post a chapter today, so how much do ya love me? Lol. It's pretty short, making way for some real excitement in the next chapter coming soon!**

**I know I haven't been great about replying to every review, but I just want to thank you guys for the kind and amazingly encouraging words, especially the ones who review every chapter. I love all of you! One reviewer, (I'll mention the name once we get to that part!) made a really good guess about a certain detail coming up. It made me laugh and kind of happy that they got it right. :D **

**To maddy, since I can't respond to you directly, that would actually be really hilarious. I love the thought of Storybrooke Regina traipsing through the woods in fuck me heels. XD I'll keep that in mind for the future! Thanks!**

**P.S. I wrote this chapter today, so it may not be edited well. Sorry for any extra mistakes.**

* * *

"Emma?"

"Yeah?"

For once Emma was in the lead, the map Rumpelstiltskin provided actually quite easy to follow. The walk up the mountain was slow going, often making them stop to find an easier way up, as the way often got rocky and steep. At the moment the slope wasn't so bad though, unsurprisingly causing Snow to strike up conversation.

"The way you spoke to him..." now that Snow had met Rumpelstiltskin, she seemed loath to actually use his name. "It sounded to me like you knew him far better than from stories. You've met him before, haven't you?"

Emma bit her lip. She knew that she should lie, but just couldn't bring herself to. She could steal, she could cheat, and she could and had done any manner of immoral things with only minimal guilt if it was for the greater good, but she'd never liked lying. Perhaps it was because she'd done it so much in her life and only wound up hurting people. And this was Snow. Not just her mother and roommate, but a girl who had unquestioningly dropped her life to help a stranger. She was her best friend. Lying wasn't an option...but she could deal with omission of details.

"In a manner of speaking," she said at last. "I haven't met...him, like, the way he is now, but I know him. Sort of. It's really hard to explain..."

"Try," Snow prompted, arching an eyebrow.

"I can't," Emma admitted guiltily. "I'm sorry, I am, but I can't explain the way you want me to."

Snow looked somewhat hurt, but let the matter drop. For about a half hour. "Are you...from...another time?"

Emma stopped cold in her effort to scale up a rock and stared at Snow with wide eyes. How in the hell could Snow be that perceptive?! "I...uh...how did you..."

Snow shrugged, the corner of her lips quirking up. "I don't know. But you're from another world. How hard would time travel be to believe? I just couldn't figure out how you could know him, and Regina, and about Red's curse without any of them knowing you. My second guess was going to be another life."

Emma sighed and pressed her palm to her face. "Yes, okay? I think I'm from another time. The future."

"Do you know me there?"

Emma's stomach dropped. "I'm sorry Snow, I can't...I can't talk about it. Please let it go."

"Okay, Emma, I understand. What's _he_ like where you're from? Can I ask that?"

Emma laughed. "A hell of a lot different, but no less dangerous."

The ground turned impossibly steep again, blessedly stopping any more questioning from Snow. They scrambled up the hill, neither thrilled with the fact that it looked to be a long way up.

Emma grunted, starting to get tired and ornery. _Whatever Rumpel has up there better as hell be important_. Her foot slipped on some loose earth, forcing her to claw for a handhold. The way was becoming an almost vertical climb, and a quick glance behind her revealed that they were getting very high.

"You okay up there?" Snow asked from behind her.

"Yeah," Emma called back, stopping to catch her breath and calm her racing heart. "But the rocks up here are getting slippery. Be careful!"

For some time the only sounds were the two women carefully picking their way up the rocky hill, hissing occasionally when their hands got scratched. After the seventh time having to yank on her cloak to get it unsnagged from protruding rocks and sticks, Emma was seriously considering taking the thing off and letting it drop.

Right has she reached for the tie, a sudden rustle of dirt and rocks and Snow's sharp cry had her twisting around, mouth and eyes gaping in horror as the girl started to slide uncontrollably down the hill.

"Emma!" she shrieked.

"NO!" Emma turned and sat up, allowing herself to slide down on her rear, kicking her feet to pick up speed but grabbing at the ground beneath her hands to stay in control.

Snow was rolling, flipping and sliding, desperately trying to find a grip on something, anything.

Emma was so panicked, so focused on reaching Snow before she hit the sharp rocks getting closer and closer far faster than it took to get over them, that she didn't even think to try magic. When it didn't look like she was going to get to her in time, Emma planted her feet into the dirt and jumped, letting herself literally fly through the air, wincing in expectation of the coming impact.

She landed with a dull thud just slightly behind Snow, managing to reach out and grab a fistful of her cloak.

Before she could choke or the cloak could rip, Snow rolled over and grabbed her end in both hands. Emma held on to the cloak with one hand, and a root in the other.

For several moments the girls just breathed, stared at one another and tried to will their muscles to move once more.

Emma looked into Snow's eyes, seeing the panic fade into relief, and then into something else, something she wasn't even sure what was. Snow's eyes traced over Emma's entire face, and Emma couldn't help but wonder what sort of expression it held that captured her interest so.

Something lit inside Snow's eyes, and Emma felt both startled and unbelievably warm.

Finally Snow relaxed, releasing her cloak and finding her own purchase on the ground. Emma let go of the cloak only to scoot closer so she could grab the girl's hand. "Are you okay?" she asked breathlessly.

Snow wiggled into a comfortable, stable position, not letting go of Emma's hand. "Yes, I think so. I don't know what happened. I grabbed what I thought was a root, but it was just a stick that came out of the dirt, and I lost balance, then I couldn't stop falling."

Emma situated herself more comfortably beside Snow, letting her heart start beating again. She resisted the urge to pull the girl into her arms, not sure if she'd be able to let her go again. For some reason this had scared her even more than the attack. She had very nearly lost her, and even though in that moment all she could think of was Snow, and not just the fact that she was her mom, but a young girl who she had come to so deeply love in her own right, in the back of her mind her own sense of self-preservation was screaming. More than that, her maternal instincts were screaming. If this Snow died now, there would be no Emma. Worse, there would be no Henry.

After a long rest, and multiple reassurances from both of them that neither was hurt, save for some scratches and bruises, they slowly started back up the hill, this time side by side and never farther than an arm's reach apart.

And no matter how many times it snagged, Emma didn't even think about losing her cloak again.

* * *

"Here's the river on Rumpel's map," Emma said, pointing.

"Thank the gods," Snow exclaimed. "I'm thirsty and my water pouch has been empty for hours."

"Why didn't you say something?" Emma asked, internally cringing because she was speaking to Snow in the same tone of voice that she used on her son. "I still have some, I would have shared."

"I know," she said simply. "But you needed that. I would have asked if I thought I really needed it."

Okay, now Snow was talking to Emma in the way that Emma talked to her son.

_Maybe I'm just _really_ tired._

The two dipped their hands into the cold water, drinking gratefully. Snow's eyes sparkled as she playfully splashed a tiny bit of water at Emma's face.

"Oh no, don't start that again, Missy!" Emma chuckled and splashed back. "Remember who won last time!"

Snow giggled. "Hey, we were interrupted, I believe it was a draw."

They made camp, though it was still daylight, but they were exhausted. "The forest is so dark on the other side," Snow pointed out.

"Yeah, I'm guessing that's why they call it the Dark Forest..."

Snow rolled her eyes.

"It isn't far from here," Emma said. "No more than an hour walk I think. This is where we'll part ways."

"What?!"

Emma sighed. "Snow, we talked about this! I agreed that you could come with me only so far, only if you stay behind while I get what Rumpel wants! This is my journey! I won't let you endanger yourself more than you already have!"

Snow crossed her arms and, to Emma's total and complete shock, pouted. Now, Emma knew from experience that her mother had some wicked puppy dog eyes and a glare that could burn holes into people's heads, but she'd never seen her pout. She would have burst out laughing if she wasn't so bent on winning this argument.

See, the thing was, Emma and Snow, and before the curse breaking, Emma and Mary Margaret got into many arguments. Some of them were minor, like a fight between watching The Notebook or Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, and some of them were pretty major, and never, not once, had Emma ever won one. In every other relationship with other people that she'd ever had, Emma always won. No matter what it was. She never backed down until she was proclaimed right. But with this woman? Even if she truly believed that she was in the right, she always wound up relenting.

Even the time she was trying to pursued Mary Margaret not to run before her trial, she actually had relented, giving the other woman her car keys. Only Mary Margaret's sense of what was right and wrong, and perhaps Emma's words about family, made her agree to go back to jail.

Something about that woman made it impossible for Emma to argue with. But this time she wasn't backing down. This time she was right, dammit, and Snow White was not going to get her way.

"Please, Snow," Emma pleaded. "I promise I'll be careful, but I'll do better if I don't have to worry about you getting hurt!"

"But I can take care of myself!" Snow insisted. "And you don't even know what this "beast" is! What if you can't handle it alone? I'll be too far away to call!"

Emma internally growled. She wished more than anything that she could just explain to her that it was about more than just her safety, it was Emma's and Henry's as well. She would understand then. But then again, it might just make her all the more determined to go with her.

"It's not up for debate," Emma opted to treat Snow like the very young girl she was. "I will tie you up if I have to, but you're going to stay on this side of the river and wait for me, understand?"

Snow bristled visibly at the condescending tone, but, miraculously, backed down. "Fine," she mumbled.

Emma allowed herself a moment to bask in the victory, studiously making sure that her face didn't betray her surprise. "Good," she let her shoulder's relax. "I'll leave in the morning. If I don't return by the next morning..."

"No!" Snow exclaimed vehemently. "Don't say that! I will NOT go back without you! Don't even ask me to!"

Emma jumped slightly at Snow's passionate words. "Fine, fine, I'll come back. I promise. Okay? But you have to promise you won't come after me."

She glared at Emma, her lips pressed together in a straight line. "I promise," she said begrudgingly.

Emma sighed in relief, and laid back on the ground, wrapping up in her cloak. "Thank you, Snow."

"But I don't like it."

Emma smirked. "I know, I know, but you can't always have your way, Princess!"

"Princess this," Snow gathered up the length of her cloak and smacked Emma in the face with it.

Emma laughed, too tired to engage in battle, and put her hands behind her head while Snow made herself comfortable on the ground beside her.

Emma stared up at the stars, wondering what her family was doing, if they even knew she was gone, if they were worried. _I'm coming home guys,_ she swore. _No matter what, I'll always find my way home_.

She felt Snow's eyes on her, but deliberately ignored the way that she was staring, as if trying to figure her out. She pretended not to notice the girl absently twirling a lock of her golden hair. If it was the exact same way that her mom played with her hair when they were sitting on the couch watching TV, Emma paid no mind.

* * *

They hadn't bothered to take watches, both too tired and knowing that there wasn't likely to be anyone or anything around this close to the Dark Forest. Emma awoke before dawn after a night of tossing and turning and looked over at Snow who had spent the night curled tightly against her side, her hand twisted into the collar of Emma's shirt. She detangled herself gently, trying not to rouse the girl and stood up, grabbing her pack and splashing water in her face.

With one last look at Snow's childlike face, peaceful in slumber, she removed her shoes, rolled up her pants, and crossed the gently flowing river, attempting to stick to stepping on stones.

Once she was on the other side, the Dark Forest loomed intimidatingly. She looked back at Snow, relieved to find her still sleeping, and took off to complete her quest, angrily brushing away the tears in her eyes.

In a way she was enjoying her little journey to the past, but right then she was more anxious then ever to get home to her son and to her real mom. She was becoming terrified of what she could possibly be altering by being here with her teenaged mother.

She felt like it was silly to miss the girl, knowing that as soon as she was home, she'd be with Snow again, the best friend, mother and roommate who she adored and suddenly wanted nothing more than to let her know it.

Yet at the same time, her gut was gnawed with guilt for leaving the girl without saying goodbye. She kept thinking back to just before Henry ate that poisoned apple turnover, when she'd run away, only to return and find a very angry and very hurt Mary Margaret, crushed that her best friend had left without so much as a goodbye.

_This_ Snow didn't know that Emma was her daughter, that she'd see her again someday, even if it wouldn't be for quite a long time. This Snow was going to wake and find Emma gone, just...gone, and Snow was going to feel so alone.

It hurt because no matter how this battle with the "beast" ended, win or lose, she was never going see the young Snow White again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Happy Sunday, fellow Oncers! How super psyched is everyone about Manhattan tonight? I'm here with a chapter to maybe tide you over until tonight. :D Thanks again for the reviews and everything, y'all are the best! **

* * *

Making her way through the dreary Dark Forest alone was quiet, boring, and so very lonely.

Several times she almost turned around to go back to Snow, not to let her come along, of course, but to apologize and tell her goodbye. But every time she did, she shook herself and kept plodding on.

She'd known when she left that morning that if Snow caught even the slightest hint that Emma didn't plan on returning to her at all, she's never let her go alone. She'd seen the extent of Snow's intuition, and it wasn't something she was going to challange anymore.

_It's better this way_, she continuously chanted to herself. If she went back for Snow after retrieving the item, Snow would insist upon traveling with her to see Rumpelstiltskin. After agreeing to stay behind this time, Emma knew that there was no way she'd shake her a second time.

If she took Snow to Rumpelstiltskin, she was almost certain he would reveal somehow who exactly Snow was to Emma, and that would be bad, she was pretty sure. Not to mention the goodbye was going to be hard.

Maybe she was just a coward who was doing some major rationalization.

No matter how right Emma felt she was though, the words she'd spoken to the girl the night before mercilessly played on repeat in her head.

_"I'll come back. I promise. Okay?"_

"It's gonna be fine," she mumbled aloud. "She'll be hurt, but then she'll go on about her life, meet David, overthrow the kingdom, and...well...not live happily ever after obviously, not yet. But things will be how they're supposed to."

The Dark Forest was slowly becoming slightly less dark, and Emma could spot a clearing ahead. She pulled out the map, checking it carefully, and decided that she had indeed reached her destination.

She crouched down and slowly pulled her sword, the feel of the hilt giving her some confidence. She closed her eyes and focused herself, trying to call upon her magic.

It was there, like it always was, bubbling under the surface, but it felt hard to reach. She sat there for forty five minutes, trying to set a leaf on fire, but couldn't conjure it up.

_Oh sure, my stupid powers pick today to be unresponsive_.

Finally, only after a headache had taken place, the little green leaf was set ablaze, and Emma held the fire in her hand, her palm stinging, but not burning. She stared into the tiny flame, letting it bolster her courage, feeling somewhat more empowered.

She only hoped that her abilities would be there when she really needed them.

_I swear, from this day onward, I am going to pay close attention to Gold's lessons._

She stood up, stretching her cramped legs, and approached the clearing excruciatingly slowly.

The temple looked more like a pile of rocks, all overgrown and falling apart. It was massive however, towering high enough to almost be considered a small mountain itself. There were illegible symbols etched into the stones, nearly faded away.

As soon as she laid eyes on it, she could feel the energy emanating from it. Rumpel had mentioned that it was enchanted, assumingly to keep him out, which would be why he needed someone else to do it. Unless he was just being lazy.

The force had a malevolent nature to it, and it made the hairs on the back of Emma's neck stand on end. But she sensed that it wouldn't stop her, not if she wasn't frightened off by it. Perhaps it was only trying to warn her.

She took a tentative step into the open, holding her sword in a white-knuckle grip and putting all of her senses on overdrive. Emma wasn't going to make the same mistake she had when she'd traveled to that basement where the dragon lived. She wasn't going to let her guard down.

With each step she expected whatever beast was supposed to be guarding the shrine to come charging out, but though she was getting ever closer, she neither heard nor saw a thing.

Not willing to hope that maybe the beast was just out for the day, she looked all around. Maybe it was big, maybe it was small, but if Rumpel called it dangerous, then it was.

Emma climbed the ruined steps one by one. She was almost to the door when her toe caught a tiny pebble, sending it bouncing down the stairs, making light taps on the way down.

An earth shattering roar split the silence, forcing Emma to freeze and cover her ears.

The boom, boom of giant feet made the ground rattle beneath her. The beast emerged from inside the temple, swinging its head and sniffing the air to learn what had disturbed it.

Emma didn't dare to breath, didn't dare to think anything but two words.

Ogre. Shit.

The ogre bent over, smelling for her, bearing its putrid teeth. Before its massive head could swing into her, Emma jumped back, the light motion causing enough sound to alert the monster to her presence.

It roared, and Emma ducked under its head to run back down the steps. It lashed out, its hand colliding with her back and sending her flying to the hard ground below.

Emma grunted on impact, sharp pain shooting through her limbs. Her right side howled in agony, having landed directly on the upturned corner of a brick. She wanted to scream, nearly dizzy from pain, but she bit her lip to keep the sound inside until blood pooled in her mouth.

The ogre was coming toward her, picking up on the slightest sounds she was making as she writhed on the ground. It bellowed again, angry, and punched a pile of bricks as it made its way closer.

She stood up shakily, relieved to find that she could still move at all. She spied her sword, which had landed a few feet from her...but laid just in front of the ogre.

Emma tried to summon the magic that had just a few days before vaporized a grown man, but it wasn't there. Panic flooded her veins as she realized that it wasn't simply boiling deep inside like it normally did, it was completely gone.

She must have made a sound, perhaps a whimper, because the ogre's head snapped up, staring blindly right at her, and charged.

With no other choice than to go for broke, Emma evaded it's swiping hands and ran full pelt for her sword.

Every step, however, as her feet pounded the earth, alerted the ogre to her whereabouts, and it was closing in fast.

Ignoring her body's protests, Emma hit the ground in a forward tumble, grabbing the hilt of her sword in the process.

She rolled over onto her back, just as the ogre's hand was coming down to slap her like a bug. She held the sword out, and it pierced the ogre's hand, causing it to recoil and shake the hand as if pricked by a needle. It let out an annoyed snarl and lunged again, only missing Emma by an inch.

Emma jumped to her feet and ran, her exhaustion and pain making it hard to even see straight. At this rate, she was going to be ogre chow in a matter of minutes. Her sword was next to usless against the creature. If only she had a bow...

She could see the creature's hand looming above her, and though she ran as fast as her legs would carry her, she knew that she wasn't going to outrun the impact of the ogre about to strike.

"HEY UGLY!" both the ogre and Emma stopped and spun around. One in irritation, the other in disbelief.

Snow stood on the other side of the monster, waving her arms needlessly. "Over here you rotting boar!"

The ogre bellowed and charged after its new target. Snow's eye widened and she started taking running steps backward.

Emma rushed forward and stabbed the ogre in the leg. It let out an angry howl and spun back around to try and smash her, but was distracted again by an arrow in its shoulder.

"Keep moving!" Emma yelled. "We'll disorient it!" though she was beyond frustrated that the girl showed up against her wishes, Emma was also beyond relieved.

The women ran circles around the ogre, who was only becoming more angry by the second.

"How do you kill this thing?!" Snow screamed, narrowly dodging the monster's foot.

"You have to shoot it in the eye!" Emma yelled back.

At the latest exclamation, the ogre spun and reached down. Emma wasn't fast enough this time, and felt its meaty fingers wrap around her chest, hoisting her into the air so fast that it forced the breath from her lungs.

She struggled against the beast's grip, but it only squeezed harder, its lips curling into a sinister grimace that might have supposed to have been a smile. Emma kicked and groaned as her already injured body screamed, and she willed her magic to WORK dammit!

The ogre brought Emma's to its mouth, its putrid breath everything she remembered. But it paused however, they both did, at the shrill whistle that cut through the noise.

Emma looked down and stared in wonder at Snow White, the fabled princess, dressed like a wild-child, untamed ebony hair blowing in the wind, bow aimed and locked on target.

This was no fairy tale princess that Emma had seen movies of. She knew her mom was badass, but each time she saw if for herself, her heart swelled in pride and astonishment though she'd never admitted it. But if her image wasn't fearsome enough, the bloodthirsty, feral look in her eyes as she roared at the ogre to "PUT HER DOWN!" would have sent armies running for the hills.

Emma had only seen that look in a person's eyes once before.

She actually found herself wishing that ogres could see, so that it would know how afraid it should be right then.

The arrow got it right in the middle of its sightless eye, and the ogre wavered before starting its rather long decent to the ground. With Emma still in its hand.

She didn't bother to struggle, only closed her eyes and waited for the impact. Thankfully, her fall was broken by the fat body of the smelly ogre. Unfortunately, her fall was broken by the smelly body of the fat ogre.

Snow crawled onto the beast, pried its fingers off of Emma, and pulled her up then down before anxiously checking her over for injury, all before Emma had a chance to move on her own accord.

"Are you okay?" Snow asked, her voice trembling with the fear that only minutes ago she looked incapable of.

"I'll live," Emma grunted. "What the hell are you doing here? You promised you'd stay behind."

"Well, you're welcome!" Snow huffed. "I woke up this morning and you weren't there! Don't think I don't know what you were doing! You weren't planning on coming back for me at all, were you?"

Emma, whose face was pointed at the ground, raised her eyes and peered sheepishly at Snow from beneath her eyelashes.

"I'm sorry, I just thought..."

"I don't think you thought at all!" Snow snapped."What if I hadn't followed you? You'd be dead!"

"I'm sorry," Emma mumbled contritely before wrapping the younger woman in a hug, forcing herself not to hiss in pain when Snow's arms wrapped around her in return.

"Don't leave me again," Snow whispered.

Tears immediately sprung to Emma's eyes, and she hastily swiped them away before the girl could see. If she only knew.

"I can't promise that," Emma mumbled, not sure if she meant her departure to go back home, or her departure to an unknown world when she was but minutes old. Maybe she meant both. "I have to go home to my family."

"I know," Snow pulled away, unashamed of her own tears. "That isn't what I meant. Let me help you get back to them."

Emma nodded, meaning it this time. Maybe it was selfish of her, she really should insist that Snow go back and start living the life she was supposed to, but she wanted and needed Snow with her.

Once again, Emma lost the argument

The two climbed the steps, Emma fully aware that Snow was watching her every move. She should have known that she couldn't hide her injury from the girl, but thankfully it wasn't as bad as she originally thought. Nothing felt broken, but she thought she may have cracked rib or two. The pain had faded until it was tolerable, though now that her adrenaline wasn't pumping anymore, she was becoming unable to walk without limping.

They entered the temple at the same time, and at the same time their jaws dropped in both amazement and utter dread.

The hundred feet high walls were lined with shelves that were overflowing with gold and silver trinkets. There was jewelry, chests, statues of all sizes, weapons. Emma would have sworn she could see a kitchen sink in the back.

"You have got to be kidding me," Emma muttered.

"How are we supposed to find whatever Rumpelstiltskin wanted?" Snow asked. "He didn't even tell you exactly what it was!"

"He said I'd know," Emma said, and she believed that.

"But we don't even have a clue! We could sort through this stuff for a year and not get through half of it!"

"It's not like you to be so pessimistic!" Emma chuckled. "Let's just start rummaging. Whatever it is, it'll probably look pretty unassuming..."

Suddenly she froze, staring at a low shelf on the far wall.

"Emma?" Snow said, squinting at the shelf, trying to figure out what Emma was looking at. "What? Do you see it?"

"Son. Of. A. Bitch." Emma hissed. "That stupid, giggling, moronic, flobby-wanded dementor buggerer bowl of soup!"

"What?" Snow exclaimed, caught between laughing and stuttering in confusion.

Emma stomped toward the offending object, clutching it in her hands and heroically fighting down the almost undeniable urge to chuck the thing across the room, hoping it would fly into a million pieces.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and that is what we're here for?"

Emma's shoulders slumped in defeat, body hurting, stomach growling, wanting nothing more than a long shower, a pizza, and a glass of something strongly alcoholic.

"Yes. This is it. Let's just go."

* * *

They made their way slowly out of the temple, giving the ogre wide berth despite its current status of dead.

Snow wanted to camp nearby, saying that Emma couldn't possibly walk the hour it took to get back to the river. But Emma put her foot down, saying that she was going to sit in that river until she could no longer smell the stench of ogre breath. They would rest there a while, then start their journey to Rumpelstiltskin.

Snow held out her hands for the object of their quest, sweetly offering to carry it.

Emma thrust it at her like a hot potato, muttering under her breath the various ways she would like to kill the little imp.

Snow burst out laughing. "You and your bad names! If calling Regina a bitch is an insult to dogs, then calling Rumpelstiltskin a buck to hunt is surely an insult to deer!"

Emma stared at the girl, puzzled. "Deer? Oh. Right. Yeah. Let's go with that."

By the time they made it back to the river, Emma was nearly a dead woman walking. As she promised, she promptly stripped off all of her clothes and walked straight into the icy river, barely even flinching at the cold.

Snow chuckled softly, probably about Emma's complete lack of modesty, and arranged camp, making sure Rumpelstiltskin's prize was safely situated against their packs. After looking contemplative a moment, she too shucked her clothes and waded into the river, taking their shirts to scrub.

Emma sniffed her arm, wrinkling her nose. She knew from experience that it was going to take an hour long shower back home with lots and lots of soap to completely erase the smell of ogre from her skin.

"Oh my gods," Snow blurted suddenly.

"What?" Emma asked, looking around for danger. "What is it?"

Snow got closer, and Emma flinched at the breech of her personal space. She was getting better under normal circumstances, but...they weren't clothed at the moment.

"Look at those bruises!" Snow said, pointed to Emma's side.

Emma was avoiding even looking, but twisted slightly so she could see. Her entire right side, from her thigh all the way up to her shoulder was completely black, not to mention the various other cuts scrapes and bruises that painted the rest of her body. "It only hurts when I breathe," she muttered.

Snow's eyes were clouded with worry, and looking very familiar to Emma. "Emma, this looks bad...you could have broken ribs!"

"Not broken...cracked maybe."

After that Snow became almost impossible, insisting that Emma do nothing but sit or lay down and rest. When Emma said that she wanted to start off first thing in the morning Snow became dangerously silent before saying in no uncertain terms that they were going to wait at least two days for Emma to heal.

"What?" Emma said, almost whining. "Snow, we can't wait that long."

"I'll tie you up if I have to," though her eyes twinkled, Emma could tell that she wasn't bluffing like Emma had before.

After a filling dinner of figs and trout from the river, they huddled beside the campfire and watched the sunset. Emma sat behind Snow and starting raking her fingers through the teen's impossibly tangled hair, attempting to unknot it enough to braid.

"Ever think about cutting this?" Emma chuckled.

"Never!" Snow exclaimed. "I love my long hair."

Emma raised one eyebrow but didn't comment.

"Tell me about Henry," Snow prompted.

Emma smiled softly. "He's an unbelievable kid. So smart, so incredibly empathetic, a lot like you," Snow wiggled happily. "I...I uh, I got pregnant when I was really young, younger than you even. And I wasn't married."

Emma expected, being the kind of world Snow was brought up in, that she would be scandalized, but she only turned her head so that she could see Emma, looking sad. "That must have been so hard. I can't imagine having a child now, with no husband to help me."

"Yeah, well, it was hard. And I was in no position to take care of a baby. I gave him up."

Emma could feel Snow tense.

"It was the hardest decision of my life. I never dreamed that he'd find me when he was ten."

"If I had a baby now, I think I'd make the same decision," Snow said quietly. "I wouldn't want to, but a baby in the wilderness with a fugitive mother? I'd want her to have her best chance."

"Her?" Emma asked past a lump in her throat.

Snow chuckled. "Or him."

With a braid in her hair at last, Snow laid down, pulling her pack over to pillow her head and making sure the Rumpelstiltskin's treasure was within reach.

Every other night when they weren't taking watches, regardless of where Emma laid her head, Snow would scootch over until they were right next to one another. It was a trait that was purely Snow, the desire for closeness and physical contact. It made Emma uncomfortable, but since being here with this girl, she'd forced herself to roll with it, being unable to push her away when she was no more than a lonely and frightened child any more than she could ever push Henry away.

Now Snow didn't seem to be paying attention, studying Rumpel's prize. So swallowing every reservation she had, Emma pushed her pack right next to Snow's and laid down right beside her, shoulders touching.

From the corner of her eye, she could see a ghost of a smile on Snow's lips, it was as if she was actually waiting to see if Emma would actually do that. Emma felt the girl's hand sneak into her own, fingers threading together. Snow twisted, turning into Emma, and resting her head on the blonde's shoulder.

"You said you don't believe in love at first sight," Emma mumbled.

"I don't," Snow said. "That's just stuff they tell in stories."

Emma could have died laughing, but only snorted. "You'd be surprised by what you find in stories that are true! Well, I was just thinking, I know I said that I don't believe in it either, but I changed my mind. I do."

Snow raised her head to look at her. "You do?"

"Yeah. I didn't see Henry when he was born, before the nurses took him away. But when he found me? Past the shock, past the fear...it was love at first sight."

Snow smiled and laid her head back down. "Maybe you're right."

* * *

**Bonus: A thousand cookies to whoever guesses what the object is that Emma and Snow found! Lol. You'll all get it I'm sure. A million to whoever catches a couple certain insult references. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Well guys, I'm afraid to tell you that there's just one chapter left after this one! I hope you all like how my story ends!**

**But first, the winners of the Name That Thing contest! All winners will receive delicious cookies! You just have to either go to the store, or bake them yourself! But my love will go into them through cyberspace. :D**

**suuuza - First correct guess!**

**Msynergy - Have I ever told you that I love your fics? Cause I do.**

**BelleChic - And you doubted yourself. Don't do that. :)**

**White Belt Writer - You get Chips Ahoy.**

**itsCaroline - What you said. Exactly where I was going with it!**

**If your name isn't listed, you can still have cookies if you really want...but you have to read to find out the truth! :) (The only reason I'm making a big deal out of this is because I'm still laughing about the big deal they made out of Charming's name. Like...why did they hide it to start with? lol)**

* * *

After two days, Emma'd had enough of the young mother hen clucking over her constantly. She hadn't been allowed to move hardly, to help gather firewood, find food. She had to beg the girl to leave her alone long enough to go relieve herself.

She was pretty sure Snow was just stalling.

Emma sat by the campfire, watching Snow gather up their supplies, playing with her bow. She nocked an arrow like she'd seen the girl do, and aimed for a tree, but pulling the string back proved to be harder then it looked and she lost her grip, sending the arrow flying toward Snow.

It lodged into a tree next to Snow's head.

"Oops, sorry..."

Snow gave Emma such a "settle down now, little one," look that Emma had to hold her ribs to keep them from breaking all over again from laughing. It looked so funny coming from such a young face.

"I'm sorry Snow, really, ow...maybe I should get you to teach me how to use this thing."

Snow chuckled. "Someone needs to."

After proving to her young companion that she could walk without limping and that she wouldn't die anytime soon, they checked their map and began picking their way toward The Dark Castle.

Snow had clumsily but tenderly helped Emma apply salve that Red had taught her how to make to her wounds, and wrapped her ribs securely in strips of cloth from her own cloak. Emma was stiff and uncomfortable about the treatment, but allowed it nonetheless.

She wouldn't have admitted it, but Emma was grateful for the rest - and for the care - as she really had needed it. It still hurt like a bitch if she jostled too much, but it wasn't unbearable.

"Hopefully we can make it there without near-death experiences," Snow said.

Emma smirked. "Famous last words, Snowfie."

Snow chortled. "Snowfie?!"

"What? You don't like my cute nickname for you?"

"Can I call you...Emmers?"

"Only if you want to die."

"Emmers is better than Snowfie," Snow skipped ahead only to turn and face Emma, walking backward. "Em?"

"Okay, Em isn't so bad."

Snow laughed. "No, I mean, I want to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"When you go home...will I ever see you again?"

Emma winced. She'd hoped that the girl had given up this line of questioning, but she may as well hope that Henry will stop reading his book. "I don't plan to come back this way, if that's what you meant."

Snow's shoulders slumped, clearly she had been hoping for something like that. "Well, then, you know. Will I meet you for real someday?"

Emma sighed, then smiled resignedly. "Yeah, Snow. We'll meet again someday."

"Will it be long from now?"

She shrugged. "A while, I'm afraid."

"You know everything, don't you? That's why you don't want to talk to me about this. You can't tell me my own future."

"It's for the best, kid, trust me."

Snow fell into step with her again. "It'll get worse before it gets better," it wasn't a question.

"'Friad so. But it will get better."

"Wherever I am in your world...I'm happy?"

"Deliriously. You're still working on some things, but it gets better everyday."

"Am I in love?"

Emma chuckled and playfully shoved the girl. "Enough! I thought you didn't ever want a man?"

"Well...I said I don't want or need one now. Maybe someday...a long time from now. Very long time."

"Just don't keep yourself so closed off, kay?"

"Only if you promise the same."

Emma looked over and slightly down at Snow's face as she looked ahead, expression unreadable.

"I promise."

Snow stopped suddenly, looking into the distance. "I'm going to take a wild guess here and say The Dark Castle is that way."

Emma followed her gaze to the cloud of fog almost completely obscuring from view; tall, black, twisted towers. The sky above it was grey, despite it being a nice day. Just looking at it gave you a bad feeling.

"Cheery. Here I hoped The Dark Castle was just a cutsie name. Dark Castle? Dark Forest? Original. For someone as weird and flamboyant as Rumpel I'm kinda surprised he didn't paint his castle pink and call it La La Land."

Snow laughed, covering her mouth as if the lord of the castle a mile away could hear her. "Pink?"

Emma mock glowered. "Well, his house back home is pink."

Snow nearly doubled over. "My goodness, Emma, thank you. I'm not quite so afraid of him anymore."

"Doesn't hurt to be afraid," Emma said, lightly chuckling. "Rumpel only really cares about himself, and he isn't afraid to do whatever it takes to get what he wants. That list includes murder and the general ruining of lives. I wouldn't get too comfortable around him."

Emma held out her hands to take her turn carrying the rather heavy object of their quest.

"Going to tell me what made you curse at this thing for hours?" Snow asked dryly.

Emma took the ornate, jewel encrusted egg in her hands and scowled at it. "He tasked me to get this once before, making me think it was to save my son, when really he just wanted it himself. I almost got killed by a freaking dragon that time, where he'd hidden it, and it had all been pointless!"

This time Snow couldn't muffle her laughs.

"It's not funny!"

"I'm sorry, Emma! I really am! But maybe if you didn't retrieve it for him this time, you wouldn't have had to get it from the dragon!"

Emma furrowed her eyebrows. "Huh?"

"You are the reason he got the egg to begin with!"

Emma stopped, turned, found a tree and banged her head against it.

* * *

Once they were closer, the girls realized that the castle was surrounded by a wide moat. Emma wrinkled her nose at the strong sulfurous odor and peered into the thick, murky water.

"No way in hell I'm swimming through that," Emma said.

"Do you think he knows we're here?"

Emma put her hands on her hips and squinted up at the towers. "Probably. If he doesn't pop up out here, it probably means he expects us to go inside."

Snow gulped loudly and bit her lower lip. ""Inside? Wonderful. Then let's figure out how."

The draw bridge was up, making the easiest of solutions impossible. Emma tried shouting obscenities at the castle to draw the imp out, but no luck there, either.

"Over here!" Snow called.

Emma held her aching ribs and found where Snow was dragging an old wooden boat out of some bushes.

"A skiff!" the girl exclaimed, looking pleased with herself. "We can paddle across."

Emma eyed the rickety boat warily. "Yeah, and what if it sinks while we're in the middle of that nasty moat?"

Snow took a moment and thoroughly examined the bottom for cracks, but after declaring it acceptable and safe, Emma had no further excuse.

They pulled the skiff to the water and pushed it in, then Snow hopped gracefully aboard, followed by Emma who boarded far less enthusiastically.

"I'm not big on boats," she mumbled, gripping the edges furiously when Snow moved to grab the oar, causing the small vessal to sway.

"It isn't far," Snow soothed, but was careful not to jostle the boat again.

The mist coming off the water soon engulfed them until they could see nothing beyond their tiny boat. The air was hot and thick and tasted metallic. Like blood. They both gagged at first, until they managed to breathe shallowly through their noses.

"What was that?" Emma snapped, when it felt like something was whispering in her ear.

"I don't hear anything," Snow said, but her eyes were like saucers.

Emma felt breaths of touch all over her skin. Tiny, indiscernible voices whispered words of nothing into her ears. It felt like it was all pushing her back, telling her not to go any closer.

"You don't hear it?" she whispered.

Snow was standing rim rod straight, but continued to paddle, her eyes moving wildly all around. She was clearly frightened, but whatever Emma was hearing, Snow couldn't.

"There," Snow whispered, relief evident in her voice. There was a dock ahead. Nothing but a low wall, possible to scale, surrounded the Dark Castle.

It wasn't too hard to imagine that between the moat and the estate's inhabitant, there wasn't much need for fortification.

They climbed onto the dock, Snow warily, Emma hurriedly. "Where is he?" Emma wondered aloud.

Snow tied the skiff to the dock, and Emma noticed that she looked even paler than usual. "You okay?" she asked the young girl. "You don't have to go in with me."

"No!" Snow's voice wavered but her eyes were full of conviction. "I want to go with you. I promised you that I would see this through with you till the end."

"And you have!" Emma insisted. "Snow, you're...you've stuck by my side, you've been there for me more than anyone else in my life," the girl didn't have to know that Emma meant so much more than just the past week. "And you don't even know me."

"I feel like I do," Snow said. "I feel like I know you as well as I know myself."

Emma's shoulders slumped. "You're the best friend I've ever had Snow, but you know that I have to go, right? I know that you want me to stay, no matter what you say, but I..."

"Have to go home to your family, I know. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't wish you could stay, but I know that you must."

"Then...then maybe we should just say goodbye here. Maybe it's better."

Snow's eyes became pleading. Obviously Henry got his puppy dog eyes from his grandmother. "Please, Emma? Let me come. If I don't see for myself, I'll always wonder if he was able to send you home or not."

Snow wasn't demanding to be brought along this time, Emma could tell. She was asking. Emma knew that if she sent the girl back now, she would do it.

"Come on, kid, we got an imp to see."

* * *

Almost as soon as leaving the dock, the fog dissipated and the air became clear and fresh again. Although the looming, grey towers still gave off a sense of danger and gloom.

The gate leading past the wall was small and unlocked, and led to what might have once been a vast garden. Now all it consisted of were twigs and dead leaves. All expect for one corner, near the entrance, that looked as if somebody had been attempting to bring life back to the dismal garden. What stood out most was a beautiful rose plant, its scarlet blooms radiant against all the gray and brown.

The doors to the castle were at least fifty feet high, and of solid oak. After an encouraging, if worried nod from Snow, Emma lifted her hand to the iron door-knocker.

After a single knock, the heavy door swung open by itself with an ominous creak.

Emma and Snow stepped cautiously into a cavernous, dimly lit foyer. It was lavish and decorative, but not what one would call beautiful. Garish, maybe. In the middle of the room was a table, but no Rumpelstiltskin.

"Hello?" Emma called, cringing at how her voice echoed loudly.

A sudden clatter made both girls nearly jump out of their skin. They spun to the left, coming wide-eyes to wide-eyes with a stunningly beautiful young woman, a mop and bucket at her feet, soapy water pooling around her.

Emma blinked, for a moment unable to connect the woman with anyone she knew, but the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. "Belle?"

Suddenly the fear and worry in the other woman's eyes dissolved into wary curiosity. "How...how do you know my name?"

"Who is she?" Snow asked, looking appalled. "Is she a prisoner?" she turned to Belle. "Is he holding you here?"

"No!" Belle exclaimed. "Well, not exactly. I chose to come here. I'm the caretaker."

"Harassing the help, Dearies?"

Emma and Snow both gasped and spun back around to find Rumpelstiltskin sitting cross-legged on the table, eyes glinting with barely concealed mirth.

"I'm sorry," Belle said. "I didn't know they were here, I only came in to mop the foyer."

"No matter," he said with a wave, but Emma didn't miss the way his eyes softened the instant Belle spoke. "I only told you to avoid visitors for your safety. These ladies will bring you no harm."

Now that she knew she wasn't in trouble, Belle pranced happily over to Rumpelstiltskin, before turning back to Snow and Emma. "Are you hear for a deal?"

While Snow worked on her goldfish impression, Emma raised the egg. "Is THIS what you wanted?"

Rumpel squealed and clapped his hands. (And Emma thought that the giggling was creepy.) He hopped off the table and snatched the egg, cradling it like a baby. "Indeed! Oh I knew you would figure it out!"

Emma had to struggle not to snarl. "So what's in it that is so important?"

Rumpelstiltskin blinked. "Nothing is in it, Dearie, I simply wanted the egg. I hear it's good for storing things."

Luckily Snow came out of her confused stupor in time to throw her arms around Emma, to stop her from throttling The Dark One.

"My my my my," he tittered. "Quite the vocabulary you have. You'd make a sailor blush."

Belle looked like she was pretending to be shocked, but it came off as delighted instead.

"Emma, remember you still need his help," Snow sang in Emma's ear.

Emma sucked in a deep breath, and let the red seep out of her vision. "Fine. Well, I've upheld my end of BOTH bargains. Now, help send me home."

"Right this way, ladies, if you will."

"Can I come Rumpelstiltskin?" Belle asked hopefully.

Rumpel stared at her a moment before rolling his eyes upward. "Very well, come on. Just mind you stay out of the way."

Rumpelstiltskin led the women through a maze of corridors and up an impossible number of stairs into a tower.

The room they came to held any number of bottles, jars, tubes, and all manner of things Emma couldn't put a name to. In the corner stood a spinning wheel, surrounded by straw as well as golden straw.

Even Belle looked fascinated, as if she hadn't seen the room before either.

"This land that you're from," Rumpelstiltskin began. "Tell me about it."

"I think you know," Emma said.

"A land without magic..."

Emma knew well what the imp's desire was at this point. "I can't take you there."

Rumpel looked frustrated, but nodded. "Yes, yes, Dearie, I know. Time travel is very dangerous business, one a novice such as you should never dabble in."

"It wasn't intentional, okay?" Emma snapped. "I went to bed one night, after practicing a little bit of magic, nothing serious. I just flipped a switch. When I woke up, I was in the middle of the Enchanted Forest."

"Any teacher of yours SHOULD have warned you about playing with magic when you're still unlearned."

Emma glowered. "He did."

"Must be a exceptional teacher. Handsome, too, I'd wager."

"Actually he's really, really annoying."

Snow and Belle exchanged perplexed expressions.

"The point is, Dearie, that travel from a magical land to an unmagical land is as difficult as it comes. Believe me. I know. And traversing time on top of that? I'm afraid my expertise in that department is lacking."

"You son of a bitch," Emma snapped. "You knew that all along! You can't help me! You tricked me!"

"I told you I'd do anything I can! It isn't my fault that there isn't much I can do."

"Emma," Snow said, taking her arm. "Come on, we'll find help elsewhere."

"He's the most powerful being here," Emma said, choking back tears of frustration. "There's no one else!"

"I wouldn't say that," Rumpel said. "The most powerful being of this realm? Yes. The most powerful being here? Debatable, I'm afraid."

"What are you talking about?" Emma asked.

He giggled. "I may regret telling you this later, but you are more powerful than you know Dearie! I can't send you home, but you can! You got yourself here, only YOU can send yourself home!"

"But I don't know how."

"Have you tried clicking your heels together?"

"RUMPEL!"

"Is she really as powerful as you say?" Snow asked.

He tittered. "She's the product of Twue Wuv! There is no more powerful creature in existence! She just doesn't realize it, yet."

"Then you can do it," Snow said, turning to Emma and holding her by both shoulders. "You can send yourself home, Emma, you just have to concentrate. Think of Henry. He needs you. Think of your parents."

"I don't know if I can..."

"I do," Snow's voice was firm. "Maybe I haven't known you for long, but I know that you can do this. Remember the men who attacked us? When Regina was going to throw that magic fireball at me? Your full ability comes out when someone you love needs you. Your family needs you now, Emma."

Emma was looking into Snow's eyes, desperate to believe the girl's words. She heard Belle ask, "What is happening?" but she suddenly sounded far away.

The room around them started to blur, to become brighter. Everything faded away until there was only Emma and Snow.

"I'm scared," Emma whispered.

"That's okay. I'm scared too."

The room kept getting brighter, and Emma's ears began to ring. The pulse of her magic, the power that was hers as much as the beat of her heart, flowed out of her. Not angrily like it did when her mom was in danger, but softly, as she focused it on home.

"I hope I can be half the mother you are," Snow said, smiling through her tears.

"How do you know what kind of mother I am?"

"Because for the past week, I was reminded of what it's like to have one. Henry is a lucky boy."

The tears that had been threatening to fall finally made their way down Emma's cheeks. She raised her arms, framing Snow's and placed her hands on the girl's shoulders. "You are. You will. You'll be an amazing mother."

"I can't wait to see you."

"What?"

Snow half laughed, half sobbed. "I never knew that I wanted children until now. I'm terrified, but seeing you? How beautiful and amazing you are? I must have done something right."

Emma's eyes widened. "_What_?"

Snow brushed Emma's cheek with her thumb, wiping away the tears. "I'm not afraid anymore. I'm going to go and start living the life I was born to live. I don't know what that is just yet, but I'm going to make sure I'm somebody my daughter can be proud of."

Emma sobbed. Just seconds ago all she could think of was going home, but suddenly she couldn't bring herself to let the girl go. "How did you know?"

"Remember what you said about loving Henry at first sight?"

"Yeah?"

Snow brought her face closer, her voice nothing but a whisper. "Well, that idea is beginning to make sense to me now, too."

The light was becoming almost blinding, and Snow was getting harder to see. "I love you," Emma said.

"I love you, too," now her voice was fading away too. "Goodbye Emma...see you soon. And thank you."

Emma faltered, her hands now feeling nothing but cold air instead of Snow's shoulders.

The ground vanished beneath her.

She couldn't breathe.

She was falling.

"SNOW! WAIT!"


	9. Chapter 9

**So Dearies, this is it! Thanks once again for all the love. I've never had a fic gain half this amount of attention. And I'm kinda an attention hog, so...lol ;) This is also one of my favorite things I've ever written, so I'm happy you all liked it! I realize this final chapter is short, and I'm sorry about that, but this is all that was really left to be said. I might have to figure out a way to write teenage!Snow again...because I'm officially in love with her. :D In fact, if anyone else wants to take a stab at her, I'd love to read it!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"_I love you, too. Goodbye, Emma...and thank you."_

_..._

"SNOW, WAIT!" Emma shot up in bed, panting and sweating. Her mind barely had enough time to adjust before the door to her bedroom flew open.

"Emma?" her mother stood in the doorway, wearing PJs and a bathrobe, unfairly gorgeous first thing in the morning. "What's wrong?"

Emma just stared, opening her mouth and shutting it over and over.

Snow furrowed her brow in concern. "Em, are you okay? Did you have a bad dream?"

_Was it a dream? That unbelievable adventure was just some crazy, exhaustion induced dream?!_

Without answering, Emma jumped out of bed and started throwing clothes on, hissing when pain stabbed her side. She froze, fingering her ribs, feeling the hurt there.

"Emma! Answer me, what's wrong?"

"I gotta go see Rumpel," Emma blurted, hopping on one foot, trying to pull on her boot.

"Emma, it's seven in the morning. Why do you need to see...since when do you call him _Rumpel_?"

Emma flew down the stairs despite her aching body, and out the door, pressing a kiss to Henry's head on the way but ignoring his and David's concerned expressions.

The early risers of Storybrooke stared as the Savior stormed down the sidewalk, eyes blazing, on a mission, but were all wise enough not to question her. That's what gossip is for.

Leroy smiled at her in passing, earning only an acknowledging nod, then muttered something about, "that girl, just like her mother."

She marched up to the pawn shop and pulled on the door, just to find it locked. Only then did she notice the "Closed" sign.

"Gold!" she yelled, banging on the door, heedless of the curious stares. "Are you in there?! Open up!"

"Miss Swan?"

Emma spun around to find Gold and Belle right behind her. With a raised eyebrow, Gold proceeded to unlock the door and lead the way in.

"Is everything okay, Emma?" Belle asked. "Can I get you something?"

"No thanks," Emma said, never taking her eyes off Gold. "Was it a dream?"

"What on earth are you talking about, Dearie?"

"Then it didn't happen? ANY of it? I didn't go back in time and meet my mother when she was nineteen years old or fight another ogre or terminate a man or get hit on by my uncle or..."

"Easy, Dearie, take a breath," he said, holding up a hand to calm her down.

"You were different...you were green and giggled a lot, and you were a really creepy drama queen."

Belle chuckled behind her hand. "I liked his giggle," she turned to Gold. "But you were a bit of a drama queen. I always wondered what happened back there...you never did really explain it to me."

"So...wait..." she stared wide-eyed at Belle. "Are you telling me you remember it?"

"Time travel is tricky business," Gold said, resting his hands on his cane. "Even I do not understand it. But it happened. We remember. Always did."

Emma didn't know whether she was relieved or worried. "Then...Snow...my mom...she..."

"When I realized that she knew you were her daughter, I sent her back to where you found her."

"You mean you erased her memory of me?" this time the disappointment was definitely winning out.

"Not entirely. Only that she knew who you were, and the rest would have been tempered, faded. So that when she met you again, she wouldn't recognize you. I didn't dare erase her memories completely."

"Then...you knew all along that it would happen to me? Why didn't you tell me? Prepare me? What if I had screwed something up?"

Gold smirked. "Like I said, Dearie, it's tricky business. Not something to tamper with. You didn't screw anything up. Everything happened...the way that it should. You won't notice a difference, because it already happened."

Emma sighed. So she _really had _gone back in time and spent time with her mom as a teenager. It was mind boggling. Staggering. Effing confusing. But with that knowledge, Emma realized there was something that she needed to do.

"Gotta go," she blurted and darted for the door.

"Don't forget our lesson tomorrow," Gold reminded. "And from now on, please do as I say!"

"I will! I promise!" she called out behind her.

Gold leaned out the door and shouted as she jogged down the sidewalk. "Oh, and thank you for obtaining that egg for me! It came in real handy!"

Emma resolutely forced herself not to turn around and beat her teacher to death with his own cane. She also pretended that she didn't hear a very familiar giggle.

* * *

"Snow?" Emma called, opening the front door.

Snow came out from her room, arms crossed. "Want to tell me what all _that_ was about?"

Emma shut the door behind her and faced Snow's concerned, slightly irritated expression, thinking immediately of the feisty, lonely, courageous, bull-headed teenager she'd just shared a little adventure with. That girl was still inside Snow, she'd seen it on multiple occasions. When she'd saved her ass, (not for the first or last time, apparently,) from an ogre. When she marched around town with her bow; a queen with attitude. That awesome time she Sparta-kicked Jefferson from a two-story window. When she grinned seductively at her husband when she thought Emma wasn't looking.

"I'm sorry. I just had to talk to Gold about something...having to do with my lessons. But it's okay now."

"Are you sure?"

Emma sighed. "Very sure. I'm sorry. Where's Henry and David?"

"David took Henry to school before heading to the station. Remember, you have the day off today."

"Oh yeah," Emma ran a hand through her hair. "So uh, are you busy today?"

The way Snow perked up and looked so hopeful would have been comical if it didn't make Emma feel bad for basically ignoring her lately. "No! I mean, nothing that can't wait...why?"

"I uh, I was just wondering if you'd like to do something. Just you and me. We could get breakfast, maybe go shopping..."

"Of course!" Snow exclaimed before visibly making herself calm down. "I mean, I'd love to, Emma."

Emma eyed the bow and arrows hanging on the coat rack. "Maybe you could teach me how to use that thing. Watching you with it makes me want to learn."

Snow beamed. "Really?"

Emma smiled back, loosening up. "Yeah! And then I could look all badass against the ogres."

Snow chuckled. "Well, I hope we'll never have to deal with one of THOSE again, but I see your point."

Snow disappeared into her room to get dressed, and Emma followed her. "Mom, can I ask you a question?"

Snow's eyes brightened and her shoulders straightened at the seldom-used term of endearment, but she didn't comment on it. "Of course."

"Why did you name me Emma?" she wasn't sure what made her suddenly want to know, but she leaned on the wall, anxiously awaiting the answer.

Snow smiled and glanced up at the ceiling, thinking. "Well for starters, it's a pretty name. But I also used to have a friend named Emma."

"You did?"

"Mmhmm. It was a long time ago, soon after Regina kicked me off my throne. I didn't know her for long, and I don't remember her very well now, but I remember that I admired her greatly. She saved my life. I remember that when we parted ways, I decided then and there that I wanted to name my first daughter Emma. So I did!"

Emma grinned; a wide, unchecked smile that she rarely showed anyone. On impulse, she reached forward and enveloped her mother in a hug.

Snow sputtered, but didn't hesitate to return the embrace. "Not that I mind, but what brought this on?"

"Nothing," Emma murmured. "I just love you. You know that, right?"

Snow tightened her hold, and Emma felt her sharp intake of breath. Her voice wavered slightly from emotion. "I know, Emma. I know. I love you, too, baby. So much."

Emma pulled away then, shrugging shyly and leaving her mother to get dressed. (Hey, Storybrooke wasn't built in a day! Or...maybe it was. But still.)

She went to her own room to dress a little more carefully, marveling at how excited she actually was to spend the day with her mom, then jogged back down the steps. "Snowfie! You ready yet?"

Snow narrowed her eyes playfully and grabbed her bow and arrows. "Waiting on you, _Emmers_!"

Emma faltered a step, struck by Snow's knowing wink, but returned the smirk and looped her arm through her best friend's before opening the door.

As the mother and daughter happily embarked on a new, mini adventure, their bantering echoed through the hall.

"So, what are we gonna shoot at with these things?"

"I don't know, so long as it isn't my head."

"Let's find Hook! Or Regina. OH! We could put an apple on her head! Does that qualify as poetic justice?"

"Ha! I like the way you think! Be careful with that arrow, Sweetie..."

"Ow! Dammit, these things are sharp!"

"No shit, Sherlock."

"Oh my Lord, I love you."

"Love you, too, Hon. Now give back the arrow."

_The End_

* * *

_Epilogue:_

Something was tickling Emma's cheek. She swatted it away in irritation and rolled over, trying to go back to sleep. It was Sunday, which meant she didn't have to go to the station, which meant she didn't have to be up until noon, but the sun was in her eyes and the tickling wouldn't stop.

"Baaah!"

Emma's eyes popped open and she let out a very undignified, girlish scream to find a black snout inches from her face. The sheep merely bleated in indignation and walked away.

"Are…are you all right, Miss?"

Emma sat up and shielded her eyes from the blaring sun. "Henry? What the heck?"

"My name isn't Henry…" the boy said guardedly, standing a safe distance from where she was sitting.

Emma rubbed her eyes and allowed them to adjust to the light, getting ready to scold her son for whatever prank he and probably his grandfather were playing. But once her eyes adjusted, she could see that the little boy was, indeed, _not_ Henry. Definitely not Henry.

Besides the shaggy blonde hair and bright blue eyes, however, he was the spitting image of her son, even sounded a lot like him.

Emma blinked, then looked around to survey her surroundings. She was in a pasture of some sort, surrounded by sheep who matched their master's puzzled and fascinated expression whilst staring at her.

A bird cawed and flew overhead. That bird that can only be found in...

_Dammit…_Emma thought and slapped her forehead. _I thought I was over the portal jumping in my sleep thing. NOW what_?!

"Are you all right?" the boy repeated, looking concerned but wary.

Emma closed her eyes took several deep breaths, clearing her mind and ascertaining the situation. When she opened her eyes again, the boy looked a little frightened.

"Yeah, I'm fine, kid," Emma said, trying not to sound as exasperated as she felt. "I must have hit my head. I can't remember how I got here," well, it wasn't entirely the truth, but she was far too exhausted to even consider transporting herself back right now, so she might as well get help where she can find it. Worked last time. She wondered briefly if she could find her mom again.

The boy's expression went from concerned and wary to concerned and ready to help. "Why don't you come with me? My Mama is right down there by the house. She's a midwife, but is as smart as a medicine woman. She can take a look at you."

Emma accepted the chivalrous hand in help getting up, taken by surprise by the strength in such a young child, perhaps even younger than Henry.

"Follow me," he said, ushering his sheep along with his staff.

"Thanks, kid," Emma said. "I didn't catch your name," she was almost afraid of the answer. _Oh crap, why does he seem so familiar?_

The little boy glanced up and flashed a most charming smile. "My name is David."

* * *

**Oh yes...I went there! Mwhahahaha! You may hate me for ending that way, but I just couldn't resist throwing in that last bit. :) (insert evil Cora laugh here.) I really did intend to just finish there, but now I'm kind of fond of the idea of baby Charming. What say you? Sequel?**


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